Where are their manners?

It began when I first moved in with Alex over 6 years ago, we try to sit down as a family every night for dinner.  I think it is such a wonderful thing to do, and many days the highlight of the day.

With that being said....someone should really teach our girls proper dinner table manners.....

 Miss Ellie Jo sleeps during dinner...tisk tisk (But isn't she so freaking adorable)

And our Sophie Bugs shoves too too toooo much food in her little chipmunk cheeks then pulls funny faces in between trying to talk! Ugh....they get their manners from their Father! GTM

Just some randoms....

This little girl keeps me cleaning in circles.....as most moms say you work a path through your house cleaning and they follow behind you destroying the path.  On this day Sophie decided to empty her sock drawer....just lovely.

I was in middle of cooking and started telling her that we don't do that, when I decided I'd make it into a lesson. I picked up a sock and asked Sophie to find me the matching one, it was so cute and surprising that she knew which sock matched the one I held up.  I was proud of myself afterwards that I didn't just get mad and make her pick them up with out any fun to it.  With two little ones I have found myself getting a little more short with Sophie then I should be and moments like these help me to remember that the house will survive, the messes will be okay if they stay overnight, and to just enjoy each moment I can with my girls!

Sophie has always loved puzzles.  But, as I hinted above I don't do well with messes so I had put the puzzles up out of her reach for a few days.  She was soo excited when I got them down for her to play with. Little minds just amaze me at how intelligent they are.  She has it memorized where most pieces go.  If for some reason she doesn't quite know she will study the board to find the right place for the piece she is holding. =)

Our little Gingaroos is getting to be lots and lots of fun too!  She is cooing like crazy, still screaming lots, and sleeping lots but we adore MOST moments of it! =)  (all but the ones in the dead of the night!)

I just melt when my girls smile and talk to me, or giggle, seriously the best thing in the entire world!

Our little Bugaboos is still being an awesome Big Sister!  She has started playing with Gingaroos a little but still seems to be being soft with her.  I have caught her, a time or two, making a motion like she is going to try to lift up El, but she hasn't made any real attempt.  She still "shhh"es  El when she is crying, and sometimes hangs a blanket over top of El's head(not in a bad way).  Miss Gingaroos watches Sophie A LOT and smiles at her most of the time.  I think she takes in a lot of what Sophie does and seems to get a kick out of it.  It's really cute to watch her grinning at Sophie!  For the most part these girls are amazing together! It will be fun to watch them grow up and be best friends!

Isn't that little grin to die for!? =)

We have been spending a fair amount of time out on the ranch with Alex, especially when it's time to move irrigation. 

Bugaboos is such a Daddy's girl!  It is adorable!

She is also extremely independent and runs wild in the pastures.

If I could have set Miss Gingaroos up on the wheel line to be in the picture I would have, but since she's a wee little one she didn't make the shot!  I have the cutest little family I couldn't be more proud!

Last but not least Sophie found a hole!  Imagine that, this girl and dirt!  =)

It's been a little crazy at the Robertson's!

These are a few days shoved into one post.....but as you can see we've been busy with lots of projects....

 Early one morning Bugs came in the living room with a cake mix.  Now I have finally started child locking the cabinets, but up until then Bugs kept bringing in the living room what she thought she wanted to eat.  The only problem was she kept bring bisquick and other things that you just don't open the box and eat right out of it.  I'd tell her no we can't eat this plain and she'd have a little fit.  At one point I opened the bisquick box and let her taste some of the mix trying to prove my point, that she reallllly didn't want to eat it out of the box.  Anyway, she brought in the cake mix this particular morning and I figured what the heck let us bake a cake!  We were well into the process when I realized this is the first time she has really helped me bake and had to pause to grab my camera.  As you can see Bugs was a little annoyed that we had taken a break for a photo shoot! =)

 On to another short story.....as I posted before I finally broke down and bought a double stroller.   I had neglected to dispose of the box for quite a while....and it is a HUGE box.  Sophie kept knocking it over and playing on top of it.  For whatever reason that was really getting on my nerves so I had a light bulb go off and we (okay I) decided to make a little play house.  She was A LOT of help...NOT! ;)

 The finished project....well almost.  We never made it to decorating the sides of the house, she was destroying most of what I was making, so I gave up!  But, it's still pretty cute and she enjoys it!  Oh wait, no she doesn't she hardly messes with the box now that it is actually a TOY!  Go figure! UGH!

 On to this past Saturday night.  My mother in law was away at a horse show so we had El Bongo (father in law) over for dinner.  When all of the sudden our newest little baby cow walked right by our front window.  It was so funny and crazy too.  We live on a fairly large ranch, our house sitting right on the front of it, right by a quite busy road.  The cattle are in the furthest pasture from the house!  This calf ran through at least 2 electric fence lines to end up in our front yard!  Thankfully he came in our yard and not onto the road!

 Always a good time here on the ranch! gtm

 And finally, after 7 years of knowing Alex we are finally spending most of our Summer at home.  He hasn't quit rodeoing per say...just not hitting the Summer trail as hard as usual for numerous reasons.  Anyway, since we will be home and can take care of our yard more we are getting our "green thumbs" on.  It's been a lot of fun so far and I can't wait to see if everything grows and blooms as planned! =)  Above is a picture of Alex tilling up some ground that we planted more grass on.  I was in the house taking care of Miss Ellie Jo and looked out to see Bugs "helping" Alex with his job!  It was the cutest thing ever!  She saw me standing out the door taking pictures and instantly started posing!  Such a goof ball!

 We also decided to get a few vegetable planters going.  I guess that entails playing in DIRT!  THIS KID'S FAVORITE THING TO DO!  She had a blast helping Alex relocate this dirt....

 She went back and filled her bucket at least 5 times...

 Then would dump it in our planters.

 Afterwards we broke out her watering can and let her help with some tlc for the plants....

 She was in heaven!

 So, obviously, this little one has not grown big enough for us to get any child labor out of her! =)  She mostly hung in her stroller and in the house chilling....

 I haven't been great at taking pictures of her, because well even tho she is adorable sleeping how many pictures can you take of a sleeping beauty!?  And yes, this little 2 month old still sleeps lots!  

 But, when she is awake she is super active!  And she talks A LOT!  It is so cute to listen to her cooing I just love it....if only I could freeze time with both my girls...or at least slow it WAAAAY down!

 Such a cute little mug!

 So our finished products in the yard!  As you see in some pictures there is lots more work to do, patching grass, relocating pathways it is just never ending as you all know.  Anyway, we got 4 or 5 raspberry plants planted here....so can not wait till they produce berries, Bugs will be in absolute Heaven!

 We added a little garden section in front of the garage.  Strawberry plants and LOTS of peppers as well as some herbs!   I let Alex get the vegetables to plant and let's just say it's obvious the man likes peppers!  I think we have 10 pepper plants and maybe 5 plants that aren't peppers.

 I FINALLY have flowers in my yard!  Don't be shocked I know that is a lot of flowers for the size of my yard! ;)  We have a HUGE yard and this is all of the flowers, one itty bitty pot!  But hey, if I can manage to keep these and our food plants alive then I figure I can expand on the flower planting.  I can honestly say I've never been responsible for plants and I'm just not sure how it will turn out! =)

 Although you can't see...we have two large cucumber plants in that planter.

And...when most of the work is done we turn to playing! =)  Anything to get to stay outdoors longer!

Well wish us luck on not killing our new adventure! =)

Just a few randoms.

 Ells doing tummy time on the boppy.

 Bugs saw I had the camera out and had to get in a shot! =)

And....yes this is how she rolls!  This oldest daughter of ours has a very intense love for chips of any kind.  But, give her some flavored chips and...well yeah she'll never let the bag go.  She totally fell asleep with a death grip on the bag! =)  These girls of ours sure do make us smile!

2 months old!

 Miss Ellie Jo is 2 months old today!  Time sure does fly by!  She is growing so much and starting to show her little personality.  She has started smiling ALOT and every once in awhile will give a half attempt at a giggle! =)  She just totally completes our little family and we love her so much!

 Exploring her play mat!  At this age there isn't much she can do, but she has started to play with the toys on the play mat a little.  She is doing great with tummy  time and holds her head up by herself for the most part.  We also are ALMOST sleeping thru the night...ALMOST! =)

 Isn't that little grin adorable!

 These two are so cute together!  Sophie Anne is a great big sister and Ellie Jo just loves her!  Sophie still isn't "speaking English" much but rambles off conversations directed at Ellie Jo and El will just stare at Sophie and grin.  It just melts my heart!

Sophie likes to hold Ellie's hand lately, how adorable!

Wide Load!

Well we did it....double strollering it up! CAUTION: Watch out for Heather Jo and her freaking WIDE load! I knew it would be big, but WOW it is BIG!! Now I just need to figure out the art of stuffing it in my car's trunk.....next step in life may need to be a bigger vehicle! =)

I set the girls up in it to make sure it would work for us.  I don't really think that your suppose to use a baby carrier with it but it came with this strap, and like a true daughter of Terry Kay, I "putter butted" and fixed it so El can still be in her carrier.  I am a little nervous about rolling around with such a wide stroller but it will be worth it to be able to in-prison Bugaboos when I am out and about.  Which may or may not be against her will.  I test buckled her in and she had a break down when I un-buckled her.  SOO I buckled her butt back in, then she was fine.  What a weird kid! =)

Miss Ellie Jo's 1st Rodeo!

As you all know Alex is slowly working his way back in to the rodeo scene since breaking his foot back in July of last year.  With that being said the girls and I finally got to go to a rodeo (the last one was Spanish Fork Utah for us)  We loaded up and left the house at 4:30 a.m. to take Alex to Redding, CA, to run a steer.  My girls are such good travelers, and we were happy to make it to Redding with out any problems! (Last year about 20 miles out Sophie up-chucked ALL OVER!  The last bit of the trek into Redding is really windy and I believe she got car sick)

 It was, of course, a gorgeous hot day!  I laughed when we got to the arena because my girls looked like greased up piggies with all of the sunscreen I lathered on them.  SOOO...there she is!  Miss Ellie Jo at her 1st rodeo!  She was such a good baby, dealing with the heat and being stuck in her seat, OUT OF THE SUNSHINE!  I am a little nervous with our little red head and her skin, but she didn't get red at all!  Alex did a pretty good job and may win a little in the second round.  After his second run I said to El "yea your Daddy did good" (yeah I talk like an idiot to my kids) and she grinned SOOO BIG, it was adorable!

 I had to get a picture of our little poser too!  Haha she cracks me up with the faces she pulls for the camera!  She is soo goofy!  Don't you love her little outfit too?  Auntie Mary gave it to her for her Birthday and it just may be one of the most adorable outfits EVER!

We only spent one night in Redding, then Alex headed off to other rodeos and the girls and I came home.  But, we treated ourselves to some Applebees before we headed back to the hotel.  Alex had control of the Bugaboos during dinner!  I just love these two together!  He is such an awesome Dad and Bugs absolutely adores her Daddy!  Total "Daddy's Girl" right there!

So I thought our little first rodeo getaway as a family went soo good!  Until about 20 minutes on the road heading back home Bugaboos UP-CHUCKED!  UGH!  =)

Happy Mom's Day to me!

I had a low key but amazing Mother's Day! I am a little bummed that I didn't get a picture of me with my babies, but as usual I am the only one to ever snap pictures, therefore I am usually MIA in them! =)

Anyway, we had a very lazy morning then went out and did a little yard work!

 Our Bugaboos absolutely LOVES playing outside...dirt, water, she dives right in to it all!

 Little El on the other hand....wasn't too big on playing outside! (I'm sure because she got stuck in her seat/stroller!)

 We set up this little rock raised bed and had yet to do anything with it for a few weeks, so we finally quit procrastinating and got some Blue Oat Grass(low maintenance for us is good) and planted.

 It looks a little silly now...but once the grass grows it'll be much bigger and look a lot better.  

After wards we had a yummy BBQ with Alex's family!  Which I didn't snap any pictures during =(  Then put the girls down for a nap...Miss Sophie must have had crib with drawls because as soon as I put El in Soph HAD to get in it too!  Needless to say, when I removed El, Soph had to get out too! =)