She's a Brick House...

All right, time to get a bit techy again… Now that my digital camera is at the mechanics I found new means to distribute Erin humor. I am putting two different links on here, one is Youtube and a link to an external program. For those of you that frequent often and are interested let me know which one works best with your net connection( You tube will not be up until Sunday
afternoon).


YouTube

erin dancing (higher res external link, same video)

As for the video, when we were home a few weeks ago Big E took Erin shopping at Walmart and no contest, willing bought her the most annoying toy that has ever been made…..a hamster that rocks out and sings to “She’s a Brick House”. I reluctantly let him purchase this object with the promise that it would stay in Iowa. And of course it made its way into the suitcase, through airport security and now serenades our house daily, if not hourly. My sanity would long be gone if it wasn’t for ear buds and an MP3 player…Its amazing what you can tune out with technology.
Although I will say it has greatly improved Erin’s dance moves!

Erin's Birthday Photos

Em’s first attempt at cake decorating, not her greatest work of art, but Erin could identify it as cookie monster.
The “kill the spider” game, a necessary skill for living in Texas
Digging into the cake

Mr Potatohead gets a lift

Erin’s Big Party

We had a party for Erin on Friday night that doubled as our open house. I think we had about 30 people there, lots of food and Erin raked in the goods – I can’t believe how much stuff she got.

I made a giant paper mache spider which half of the kids loved and the other half it scared the heck out of them and made many cry, maybe not the best idea in retrospect :)

I also made her a cookie monster cake, which she was all concerned about. All day she kept saying (in her southern accent she is picking up when she gets excited) where my cookie monster cake? I had to put it in the garage for fear she would maul it. I told her it had to “dry” a few hours before we could eat it.

Unfortunately my camera finally bummed out on me once and for all right at the start of the shin-dig so I have not photos to document the spider beating event. One of our friends took photos so hopefully I will have some later this week.

As for the camera…I thought it was time to finally turn my Canon A70 digital camera to its grave. Jared purchased it for me on our wedding and in the pass three years it has document over 6,000 photos, been dropped in water, slung through cow poo, beaten and battered in every possible way. Canon has a trade in program so I called to see what I could qualify for and found out that my camera had a recall on it for a defective part and it sounds exactly like my problem. If that is the case they will fix it for free, (otherwise its $180 which the camera is worth half of that now). I was a bit perturbed since I had registered it and had not been notified of the defect and for the last 6 months I had to shake my camera to get it to work. But you can’t beat free, the downside is I’ll be without it over Christmas.

So Kari, keep your pants on, I’ll post photos when I get them :)

Happy 2nd Birthday

You have come a long ways kiddo!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Long time out...

Lots happened since I have last posted. My mom can down to visit for a week and we put in several plants and painted my kitchen. We painted it grassland and it looks good. I’ll have to post photos later. We went to the zoo and took Erin’s friend Kylie, they were a handful, but hilarious to watch.

Erin and Kylie - Our one person stroller became built for two

Erin and I eating lunch in Hermann Park

Kylie & Erin in the prairie dog tunnels

We then decided to trek downtown and go to the observation deck and the Chase building, which provided a great aerial view of the city. Erin freaked out a bit because of the height; I don’t think she realized that the glass would keep her from falling. I have more pics from the observation tower posted on my Houston Photo Blog.

Shortly after mom flew home my Uncle Marcene passed away after a long battle with liver cancer. He was a character and an awesome man and will be greatly missed. Erin and I caught a flight out the next day for the funeral.

We ended up staying in Iowa for 10 days to see family and help at the monument shop. I helped Dad uncrate and move granite and get ready for their business open house while Erin helped Grandma in the office. Mom said everyone of the checks she sent out had the return address stamped all over it compliments of Erin. Erin helping grandma with invoices

Erin taking her first lawn mower ride with Uncle Max

Erin fell in love with Mom and Dad's two shop cats – George and Mama. By the end of the week they were petrified of her and for good reason, she was pretty rough with them.

Erin got to go trick-or-treating in my hometown. She was piglet this year. The weather was rainy, windy and about 30 degrees , the typical Midwest Halloween. We went to about 15 houses. She would run up to a door and freeze and get all shy and then turn around and yell “new house” and run to the next. Max had to work so dad went with us and of course dressed up.

Dad showing off his mask, Erin thought he was very funny in it.

Erin and Gt. Grandma (again she was stalking the cat)

The weather was milder at Renshaw’s house. Erin loved playing on the trampoline. The dry air mixed with the static created from playing on the trampoline made Erin have some very cool punk rocker hair.

We also went up to Ames to see her uncle Jeremy at Iowa State and we got to take her to Brookside Park in Ames. Erin officially now has a cousin. Jeremy and Rachel had a baby last Sunday and named her Brooklyn. Sounds like mother and daughter are doing great.

It was good to visit but also feels good to be home and in a routine.