We discovered the dirt. These are some of my favorites from this new adventure. Who says girls can't play in the dirt?

These pictures crack me up because this is what is becoming of my baby. She is turning into our independent toddler. I mean she is 21 months for goodness sakes! I don't know how it happens, but one day they are on the breast, then the bottle, then the sippy cup and now a cup with no lid. Where does the time go? So, on Wednesdays when I am not home because I have class Matthew took these pictures of Eva trying to dress herself. I don't think in the end she was successful, but man, does she try hard.


This last picture is fun because she looks do darn chunky. Not that she isn't but I am sure she will never live that down when she is older. Actually, in all honesty she is thinning out even though her face might be round :)

Everybody who knows me knows that I hardly ever ask for any favors. Well, this time I have one. I don't know if this is the right forum, but I am asking all our family and friends to think of Matthew this weekend as he takes the MCAT. He has taken it once already but he really wants to do better this time around. We are praying, not that we gets a high score, but that he get the score that will get him into a Med school next fall. So, for once, I am asking you to support our family and pray for us. His test is THIS Saturday. I have never seen Matthew work for something so hard in his life. He REALLY wants this and I know that we he would be great for medicine and especially with the Spanish speaking community. He's a great dad, and husband, and I want this for him to. Join us a pray! We would be very grateful to YOU! (Silly picture, I know, but he always flatters me)

It's been awhile I know but it doesn't mean I haven't taken pictures. Here are a couple that I have taken. My brother hooked me up with Lightroom for my birthday and I am still learning how to use it. Three of the four are of my Eva and the fourth is of my Sister in law Shiara. She's actually been on here a lot lately, partly because she is family but also because she is so willing to drive from Salem to visit us. Hope you don't mind I posted your picture Shiara but I like how it turned out. You can also see Eva's pigtails. Matthew and I are still learning how to do them and how not to hurt her little head but the barrettes are a hit! You've seen the first picture before but I posted it because I played around with it and Eva gave the picture to her "icky," (her uncle Ricky) who she loves for her birthday. Let me know what you think and whether or not the colors bother your eyes (especially on the third picture). Be honest!

This Easter we spent it with Matthew's family in Sisters. Uncle Steve did it again making it difficult to find all of his eggs. I think it took us about two hours with the last egg being one of the most difficult to find. Eva had her little egg find herself. I carefully stuffed her eggs with one, two, or three jelly beans( weren't too many of the three combo) and the rest with teddy bear and animal crackers. However, when she realized that some of the eggs had jelly beans, she quickly went for those and not so much for the crackers. I know, I am trying to be healthy and it didn't work. The second picture, is a new trick she learned a while back. She likes to place things over her ears and listen to the sounds. Here she is doing it with the plastic eggs. I am happy to report that for Easter Eva received a hair stuff theme basket filled with barrettes, head bands and even a brush. Later I will show you pictures of our big girl Eva with her new hair-do.

So, I better start blogging all these pictures before I leave people disappointed. Last weekend Nathan and Shiara took us to a Blazer game. We had a good time there. I spent most of the time feeling Shiara's baby, people watching and talking to her while the boys talked about the game. Matthew was pretty excited to be able to see the Blazers this season and to see them win. He really wanted me to get a picture of Greg Oden but I didn't have the right lens to get a good picture of him. Oh, well. Maybe next year when he is actually playing. The good thing was I was able to leave Eva for once past her bedtime and spend some time with some pretty neat people.

As Matthew so kindly pointed out I am now closer to 30 than I am 20 and I am only 26! Crazy how that happens. I have come to realize that birthdays aren't what they once used to be with the little kiddo. But, I wouldn't trade it for anything else. Just wanted to show you the beautiful cake Matthew made me with yummy homeade frosting. Spent the day with the fam this year, and it was just right!