It's hot out there...

Have you heard that it's HOT outside? ;)

Texas is in the middle of another "record breaking" summer heat wave and no rain to boot. This makes for some uncomfortable days, nights, walks to the car, trips to the store, I even said "it's too hot to go swimming"

WHAT?!?!? 

This is getting a little ridiculous. 

But, everytime I think that "it's too hot" I quickly switch my thoughts to this guy...

 

You think it's hot in YOUR car... well just think about your friendly neighborhood UPS man who is driving a truck, with NO A/C, probably no power steering, a very uncomfortable seat, and gets to head to the back of said vehicle to retrieve happiness for people. Oh, and the back of the truck probably measures somewhere in the 120 degree mark in the heat of the day. 

Still warm? Me either. :)

Now, in honor of my dear, sweet, sexy UPS man husband (and his charming group of men in brown) I would like to offer some advice on what NOT to say when they come knocking on your door... 

1. UPS Man drenched in sweat in the middle of a drought... Man, is it raining out there?No jackass, it's over 100 degrees, I just had to run from your dogs that you refuse to keep in a fence and I'm carrying 20 pounds worth of ammo that you order every day. It's called sweat. 

2. Is it hot enough out there for ya? No, I actually like it to stay right around 130, so I know what hell feels like to motivate me to go to church and pray for you. 

3. Do they make you work all day? Well, since UPS is a Fortune 500 company and they try to make money, yeah, the make us work all day long. But if you know of anyone that, well, gives half days off just to stay inside in the A/C then let me know.

4.  Man, sure glad it's you and not me out there. Considering you just tracked me down to get your package off the truck because you couldn't wait until I got to your driveway, I'm glad you're not driving around either. 

5. Try to stay cool. Again, I would love for this to happen, which is why I am standing on your porch listening to you tell me about your latest QVC purchase that will stay in the box like the 100 other packages I've delivered this year...you think I really want to know about your steam cleaner?

6. The fall will be here soon. Yes, September is less than 20 days away. But this is Texas. We stay warm until that one day in December when the temperature drops to 20 degrees and then you'll ask me why I have on shorts. 

I'm sure your UPS man would never reply with such snarky remarks, those were just for fun. :) 

So, friends...next time you see your friendly-neighborhood man in brown, do them a favor, give them a bottle of water or an icee pop. Tell them thanks for their service and have a nice day. 

Ryan, thank you for working hard for us. Thank you for smiling through the heat, being a great employee, setting an example of the meaning of work ethic for our kids and coming home ready to play, make dinner, wash babies, read bedtime stories and be silly with our family. 

We love you so much!

Fish face...

The sun may have given Radley freckles but all this swimming seems to have turned Emersyn into a fish.... 

A little silly, but a whole lot of cute. 

Fourteen...

When Radley hit the big 1 year milestone, I quit sending monthly updates via Kodak gallery. Instead I did them on the even months, so trying to be a good and equal, Mommy... here is Emmy's 14 Month Update!

 So what have you been up to?

Well, you are a walker/runner/chaser of Radley/finder of cats/big girl.  You get places so fast and just think that you are so smart because you can walk. You have also mastered climbing - onto the couch, into the dishwasher, up on the coffee table...anywhere you want you get. The other day I caught you in your bathroom on Radley's step stool with your hands in the sink like you were going to wash them. What?!?! 

We have to pay very close attention to you!

You also insist on attempting to feed yourself. Well, not really attempting... for some reason I am more reluctant to let you use a spoon than Radley. I think you are messier than he was - and we all know how mommy likes messes. You are rather cute at your insistence, so if something requires a spoon or fork, then we hand it over to you. 

You are VERY aware that there are "big people" things and "little people" things. For example, a cup. You don't mind your sippy cup at all until one of us gets a big cup out and then it is :::insane gesturing at cup + grunting/attempting at saying recognizable word::: and we try to let you drink out of said cup, you kind of look at us as if to say, "I can hold this myself thankyouverymuch" ... we have yet to let you attempt that. 

We did; however, give you this little juice cup and once again. you thought you were just "so big!" 

This guy continues to be your favorite toy. You just want to be everywhere and in everything he does. You hang with him step for step, ounce for ounce and just laugh and laugh at him. He lets you pick, poke, prod and "pat" most of the time -- every now and then he lets us know when you've gone too far with your "love sharing". 

I think you look so big in these pictures!! But, you are still our petite little girl - 

18 lbs, 6 oz; not sure on your height; size 2 shoe, size 2 diaper, and size 12 month clothes. 

Your vocab is expanding to the point that we know what you want, but your words are still limited to: Mama, Dada (not really when we walk in a room though), Cat (EVERYtime they walk in a room...I see where we rate), RaRa (Radley and only sometimes), Hi, Bye Bye, More, and this weekend WaWa (which was water). You love signing "more" and "please" these days ... so I think your words will catch up soon. 

We love you, Estelle Emersyn King!! Happy 14 Month Day!