Merry Christmas from The Ohnheisers

Nine years ago Issac and I had just met at the grocery store near my house and had fallen in love almost instantly. I remember that first Christmas we spent time with our families and had planned on seeing each other the next day but could not stand being apart for that long so he drove up to New Braunfels Christmas night after my sisters had gone to bed, met my Dad for the first time, and took me out to eat at IHOP at 11pm. It was perfect and is a Christmas I will always cherish. This was our 10th Christmas spent together and I am happy to say that it was easily the best Christmas yet. Not because of the gifts or the food but because of the time we were able to spend together and the traditions we were able to carry on with that are a direct result of our relationship and our marriage. 

2013 was both a wonderful and difficult at the same time. We were afforded so many blessings and were able to create so many beautiful memories but also also dealt with some major hardships and difficulties along the way. This year I think the thing I am most thankful for is the fact that I still have my grandparents around after almost losing both of them this year. I have always known that they will not be around forever but I think their health issues this year truly made me realize that we never know when our last phone call or visit will be which has made me appreciate them in a way I don't think I ever did before. 

This year I have worked very hard on my photography and have come a really long way. I took a few classes, read a lot of books, and learned how to use the manual setting on my camera in addition to perfecting my use of Photoshop Elements which is the software I own and use for my editing. For our Christmas photos this year I took Emma out to a place called Southern Jeweled in Iowa Park, rented out a couple of their Christmas sets ups, and took Emma's Christmas photos myself. 

I love how they turned out!

Christmas morning at the Ohnheiser house.

Initially I had told myself  that I would keep Christmas a little smaller this year and focus on several "Big" gifts and that would be it. Our daughter has a major case of only child syndrome and has more toys than any kid I have ever met so I was hoping to keep things a little smaller in order to save some space because her playroom is already full and her bedroom is on its way. Of course I failed miserably and she ended up with a ton of stuff both big and small. Emma really enjoys doll houses and play sets so this year I decided to go big or go home and bought her the biggest Barbie house that Mattel makes. The house is more than 3ft tall and came fully furnished with 50+ pieces. Have I mentioned that the Barbie houses played with by today's children put the Barbie houses we had as kids to shame? This house has a working elevator, working lights (Even the refrigerator light comes on when you open it), a flat screen that makes a "Swooosh" sound and slowly rises out of the mantel with the touch of a button, a working bathroom, doorbell, you name it, it does it. I would have killed for a house like this when I was her age. 

Emma loves playing outside and had been asking us for a scooter ever since Talon and Austyn got one about two months ago so on Christmas morning we made sure she had a little pink Radio Flyer scooter set up in front of the tree. She was so happy and has played with it every day since. I think we also need to invest in a good space heater so that we can sit in our garage and stay warm while our daughter plays in the frigid temperatures that for some reason do not seem to phase her. Issac and I do NOT do cold weather so being outside with her every day during the middle of Winter truly is a labor of love!

Another one of the "Big" gifts on her list was a Nabi Tab II which is the tablet she is looking at in this photo. Nabi is a tablet made by Android that is designed specifically for children ages 4+. Upon opening the tablet I was disappointed at some of the pre-loaded games. Not only were a few of them completely inappropriate for a small child but most of them had nothing to do with learning. Thankfully it has something called "Mommy mode" on it so I was able to remove all of the content I was unhappy with and was able to add games and activities that were age appropriate and centered around learning. It really is a very good tablet though (once you get rid of the bad content). She has a Disney Jr. app that allows her to watch episodes from her favorite shows in addition to writing activities, coloring, phonics, Bible based music, books, and games, music downloads from her favorite Disney movies, children's books, memory and matching games, music games that actually teach her how to read music, and much, much more. The tablet has thousands and thousands of downloads and apps available and can do anything a normal tablet would do. Nabi Mode is set up specifically for her with most content blocked but through Mommy Mode you can surf the web, watch Netflix, Skype, use Facebook, use Nook, etc... This is really going to make the six hour drives to and from San Antonio so much easier because the blue ray player in my car only keeps her entertained about about two hours at a time. Now she has something interactive right at her fingertips that will hopefully keep her entertained for most of the trip, praise God.

  

Another very special gift was the little blue plush penguin you see her hugging in he photo below. When Emma was three months old we took a trip to Ft. Fisher, NC and visited the aquarium where Issac bought her a little pink and white penguin that he named Lucy. It was the last little gift he bought her before he deployed to Afghanistan for seven months. Emma has been attached to Lucy 24/7 ever since. When we bought Lucy I removed the tag she had because it was a choking hazard. Before removing the tag I did not think to look and see who made the toy just in case we ever needed to replace her- which thankfully we have not. Finally after searching and searching I discovered that Lucy is made by Fiesta toys and can be purchased on Amazon. In addition to finding out the name of the manufacturer I also discovered that she is available in three colors. I knew Emma would love giving Lucy a friend so for Christmas we bought her the blue version of Lucy, aka Lucy's brother. So cute! Upon waking up on Christmas morning Emma came out of her bedroom, saw Lucy's brother from across the room, and immediately picked him up and gave him a big bear hug. She didn't even pay attention to the massive house next to her because she was so excited about her new friend. That was probably the sweetest moment all morning and one that I will remember forever. Emma has since named Lucy's brother (who for some reason she says is a girl), Ricky and has started sleeping with him, playing with him, and dressing him up just like she does with Lucy.

Our little girl's spoiling did not end with us. Granddaddy and family bought her a particularly cool toy that she had been asking for called a Plasma Car. It is basically a really smooth scooter that you move by turning the steering wheel back and forth. She has her feet on the ground in the photo below because she was waiting for Talon to come back and race but your feet actually go on the scooter and are not required to make it move as the car is propelled forward by simply moving the wheel back and forth. The plasma car is fast and turns on a dime so you can speed up and then do a 360 degree turn with a simple twist of the wheel. They are big enough for adults to ride so Issac and I have both taken it for a spin a few times which was very fun. Not going to lie... I kind of want one for myself.

We hope all of our friends and family back home had a very merry CHRISTmas. We miss all of you especially during the holidays and are looking forward to seeing everyone in February when we come down to San Antonio and Indianola for a few weeks.

Our Beautifully Busy Life

I think busy is an understatement when describing life these days. Every day we have a new obligation or another thing to fill our time. No complaints though- my dream has always been to have a happy, active family which is exactly what I have. As most already know, I run a children's clothing an accessory store. Between August and December I am crazy busy and stacked with order just about 100% of the time. On average, I have about 30 open orders per day whether it be designer clothes (Which thank goodness I do not have to make- that retail license was worth every penny), bows, or high end photography props for photographers across the globe. It's pure madness and I am amazed that I am squeezing in 30 minutes to jot this down right now. Because of how much I have been working balancing my house, my husband, and my beautiful daughter has been difficult to say the least. As of about a month ago I have been making it a point to set one day aside each week where I do not work and instead take Emma out on a special and always different Mommy and Me Day. Our activities vary from week to week and sometimes involve a few special activities each day but they are always so much fun and such a nice break from the normal hustle and bustle of life. 

Last week we asked Talon and Emily to join us for our weekly outing and began the day with a tour of our local firehouse. The kids were a little intimidated by the truck (Mainly Emma) but still seemed to have a pretty good time. The night before our tour Emma and I baked cookies together which she was very excited to give to the fireman. The tour only took about 30 minutes and truthfully I think Emily and I learned more from it than our children who were running around like little banshees did. Still, it was a lot of fun!

After our firehouse tour we headed to one of our local pumpkin patches and allowed the kids to pick out two pumpkins. One large pumpkin for carving and one small pumpkin for painting. It was an absolutely beautiful day and perfect for outdoor activities!

That evening we set up tables and chairs in our driveway, I brought out a bunch of craft supplies, and we let the kids (And Dads who did most of the carving) go to town. They had a blast and it was a wonderful three hours spent with our neighbors. 

Emma has also been making some major strides in gymnastics and is really starting to get good! I do realize I am her parent and have a completely biased opinion but she does seem to have some real natural talent for it. Recently she was awarded her first gymnastics ribbon (which she is so proud of) and right now she is working towards her first showcase coming up this December.She does front rolls, back rolls, handstands, wall climbs, back walkovers with the help of a block, can do tuck jumps, straddle jumps, is working on her pike jumps, can walk sideways, backwards, and do bunny hops on the beam, does cartwheels, and with help can do some simple pull ups and flips on the uneven bars. Her strength, balance, and coordination seem to be improving every week.  

Another hobby she has taken up is roller skating. One the very few days a week that we do not have either gymnastics or soccer she has to go outside and roller skate or it is as if her world has ended. For such a prissy little girl you would be amazed at how tough she is. She has face planted on her skates at least 30 times at this point and has yet to shed a single tear- instead we usually get laughter from her. It's pretty amazing. Currently on her Christmas list is a Razor Jr. so that should get interesting here in a few months.

Soccer is going so well. We are more than half way through the season and Emma is having an absolute ball. We practice once a week and have games usually on Saturday. There have been a few weeks where we have had two games but that is not typical. It has also been very exciting as a parent to watch our child participate in her first team sport not to mention it has been a great way to make new friends in a new city. One of the things I really love about the Wichita Falls Youth Soccer is that they allow the children to stay with their team which means that come Spring soccer will resume and she will be able to play on the Ponytails again with the same coaches and children and will be able to do this until she gets older and moves up to U5 soccer. 

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Despite Emma getting hurt on three separate occasions, our game this week was a lot of fun. Emma started off the game by running head first into a teammate which somehow caused her to lose a cleat in the process. No tears though, she was tough and got right back up and went on like nothing had happened. About 20 minutes into the game the girls decided that a great tactic would be to grab hands and literally trap the other team in a circle so that they could not get the ball. It was hilarious and threw the other girls off because lets face it, no one expects to be trapped in a circle by the opposing team. Somehow amid the trapping tactics everyone ended up tangled up and on the ground. Emma got back up right away and in the process managed to fall and take a cleat to the mouth which must have really hurt because she started crying right away- something she never does when she gets hurt. The inside of her mouth was swollen for a few days and she did end up with a bruise on her cheek but aside from that she was fine. 

As usual our daughter's social life is booming. She loves spending time with our neighbors and is always wanting to do something outside whether it be roller skating, ridding scooters, driving cars up and down the street (with a parent following directly behind of course) with our neighbors, playing with chalk, or having driveway tea parties with Austyn. The girl loves the outdoors!

As far as academics are concerned we are continuing our pre-school at home curriculum that we have been doing since Emma was about 18 months old and Emma is progressing wonderfully with it. We have so few years where our children are small enough to even able to be home with us all day every day so for me personally, I refuse to give that precious gift up a moment sooner than I have to because this is time both Emma and myself will never, ever have again for as long as we live. These days are so precious, more precious than I am sure I even realize and they are fleeting quickly so I want to cherish every single second that I have before they are gone forever. Our pre-school at home program takes about 1-2 hours per day depending on what we are doing. It is amazing to see how much and how quickly she is able to learn at such a young age. Right now we are really working hard on writing, learning how to sound out small words, understanding the value of money (mostly coins), doing very simple addition and subtraction, and learning basic US geography. Right now she knows the name and location of almost all states on the map and can tell you one fact about each state. Being able to teach Emma from home has been so much fun and it is something that I truly look forward to each and every day. She is however getting very close to turning four which means pre-school is right around the corner for us. We have her registered at Wichita Christian which is where she will attend pre-k all the way through 12th grade. Despite really not wanting to give my baby up, I am excited for her because she cannot wait to start school and is really looking forward to learning, playing, and growing with other children. Wichita Christian has several options available for pre-school. Children can attend 2,3, or 5 days a week depending on which program you choose. For Emma we chose the 2 day a week program because we felt it would be the best way to transition her from being home with me all day (she has never been away from me for more than six hours in her entire life) to eventually being in Kindergarten 5 days a week. She is so excited about going to school and talks to me about it every single day so hopefully that excitement will continue when she actually starts school.

Emma is a wonderful blessing all around and these are truly the best days of our lives!

Emma Update- Life With an *Almost* 3 1/2 Year Old

Life with an *almost* three and a half year old is a blast. Everyone warned me about the horrors of the "Terrorist threes" but I have got to say, they were totally wrong. We do have some difficult days here and there but that is to be expected with any age. There are always challenges and they are always testing their boundaries in an effort to become more independent. The point is, we LOVE having a three year old! This has easily been the most exciting year we have had as parents. 

This year Emma has begun outgrowing Mickey Mouse and has become obsessed with Jake and the Neverland Pirates. We have most of the toys and I cannot tell you how many hours a week Issac and I spend "Playing pirates" with her. Most days we have to sit down with all of her Jake toys, which literally cover half of the living room floor, and we role play with all of her figurines, sometimes for a few hours at a time. 

One of the really cool things about having a three year old is the amount of stuff they are able to do at three verses what they were able to do at two. Family outings have become a lot more interactive and her stroller is basically a thing of the past. I think the last time we used it was on The 4th of July when we were at the MPEC center. Since turning three Emma has become very involved in outside activities and now plays soccer and does gymnastics FIVE days a week! Ponytails practice once a week usually for about 45 minutes and then have games every Saturday with the occasional Sunday game. Since this team is for three and four year old's the games are played on a shortened soccer field and each quarter lasts only ten minutes. Only three girls from each team are allowed on the field at a time and the score is not kept. Honestly, at this age they really have no concept of keeping score and you are really just trying to get them to understand the basics of the game and if you are lucky- have them put the ball in the correct goal. Emma had her first game last Saturday and did amazing. She played three full quarters and ran her little heart out. She really did not seem to care about actually putting the ball in the goal but she kept running and had a good time which is all I cared about to begin with. 

The girls with Coach Brittany who also played on the Ponytails when she was their age.

Family photo after the game. Our shirts had just come in that morning so we had to throw them on when we got to the field hence the reason my clothes do not match. Emma was so happy to see her number (#9) on the back of our shirts.

In addition to staying busy with gymnastics and soccer our little Emma has become quite the social butterfly. We are completely blessed to have purchased a home on a street that is not only full of children her age but also full of very nice parents who we get along with beautifully. We have a very tight knit little street where most evenings, weekends, and holidays are spent with our neighbors. You don't see these kind of communities very often in today's day and age which makes us feel *extra* blessed. Emma gets to spend time with other children pretty much seven days a week which is great for her since she is, and will remain an only child. The kids all have their own cars so one of their favorite past times is driving their cars up and down the street together. Many times they will all pile into Riley's Escalade because it has a trunk allowing 3-4 kids to ride in her car at a time. A lot of times they even throw Charger in a drive him around which he for some reason really seems to enjoy. 

At the age of three Emma can spell her name, is learning how to write, can identify most states on the US map, can re-tell many of the stories from the Bible, and is currently learning about money- mainly about coins and the value of each type. We recently held a lemonade stand with some of the kids on our street which was an excellent opportunity to work with coins and practice what we have been learning. They had a blast and I am sure had no idea that what they were doing was actually educational.

 

All around three has just been a great year so far. Being a parent is an amazing gift and is a gift that I am eternally grateful for especially since I have been given the opportunity to stay home and never miss a beat. We are loving life as a family of three and are so happy and so content with where we are in life . After nearly a decade of being together, Issac and I have truly been blessed with this incredible, beautiful, intelligent, HEALTHY, completely perfect child and there is no possible way to express our gratitude for this priceless blessing that has been bestowed upon us.

It's official. We have ourselves a three year old.

Three years ago I had been in the early stages of labor for six days and was pretty miserable. Finally, in the early morning hours of May 3, 2010 my water broke and we headed to the hospital. After thirteen hours of labor you finally arrived. Most of that day is hazy to me but there is one thing that I remember perfectly... Those beautiful big brown (almost black eyes). You were so alert and so focused on me and I remember spending the first 5-10 minutes just staring into those beautiful eyes of yours and wondering what I ever did to deserve such an amazing blessing. You looked exactly like Daddy- so much so that I would try to find traces of myself in you but never could. Three years later and you still look just like him but as far as your personality is concerned, you are seriously my mini me. You love fashion and are the only toddler I know that knows how to pair shoes, dresses, and bows perfectly and can actually identify basic prints like chevron and damask. While other little girls are playing hair salon, you grab your Barbie scissors, some ribbon and then pretend to make hair bows. 

You have a sense of humor that is just over the top and some of the things you say seriously make me scratch my head sometimes. You have finally began pronouncing "Shopping cart" correctly so it no longer sounds like you are saying, "F****** cart." That is a serious relief. 

This year brought a lot of really big changes for us.

We moved to Texas, Daddy started a new job, my business grew tremendously, we bought a house, and had to pretty much start over again. For the first few months you were really sad but you adjusted, made new friends, and are now happier than I have ever seen you. You love to be outdoors and are extremely social which is why we pretty much live outside and spend most of our free time with our neighbors these days. You love getting your Mini Cooper out but cannot be bothered with driving so Talon drives you everywhere. Your princess attitude can be a little over the top sometimes.

You love gymnastics, or "Nastics" as you call it and are constantly attempting new tricks. Typically you attempt your most dangerous stunts on the edge of the bed or somewhere that could possibly get you inured. Daddy and I often wonder if you wake up and say to yourself, "What dangerous and possibly life threatening stunts can I pull today?" It is as if you want to go to the emergency room some days. 

You absolutely LOVE to play guitar with Daddy. For your birthday we gave you a new guitar which you for some reason decided to name, "The Boss." No idea where or why you got that idea but it was hilarious and makes me laugh out loud every time I think about it.

You are still the same little snuggle bug you were a year ago and never get tired of cuddling. You are loving, affectionate, and are the kindest child I have ever known. You do have your toddler moments but we never really have issues with you being mean or not wanting to share with other children and you are always concerned with the feelings of others. Your kindness is one of the things I am most proud of. 

Another big change coming our way is pre-school. You will be attending Wichita Christian when you turn four which means that this is my last year being home with you full time. Pre-school will only be two days a week but the idea of being away from you makes me cry pretty much every time I think about it. At this point the longest I have ever been away from you is six hours so having you in school two days a week is going to be a huge change and one that I do not think I will ever be ready for.

This has been quite the year.

You are an amazing little girl who has brought us a lifetime of joy in just three short years.

We have officially survived the "Terrible Two's" and honestly, they really were not that bad.

Happy 3rd birthday to you precious girl!
Daddy and I love you to the moon and back.

Great Wolf Lodge Vacation

It has been months since I last updated Emma's blog and I feel really bad about it. Originally I decided to start this blog so that our family could keep up with Miss Emma and so that Issac and I could have a log filled with all of our beautiful family memories. When I first started the blog I updated a few times a week. As I look back through this blog it warms my heart and brings tears to my eyes because it reminds me just how special our sweet little girl is. I absolutely hate that I have dropped the ball on this one. Things are so busy around here these days. My business is booming and I am selling merchandise coast to coast on a weekly basis and am even selling a handful of items overseas each month. Its completely crazy and I never would have imagined my little business that I started with only $100 getting this big and this busy. I am so thankful for it, but between work, my husband, Emma, and our pre-school at come curriculum things can get a little hectic. Since I have not blogged much throughout the course of the past year there is no way I can fully update everyone on Emma so I am just going to jump in to a wonderful memory we made at the beginning of March...
Our First Family Vacation to Great Wolf Lodge!

Back in the fall Issac and I spent some time contemplating and planning a mini vacation for early Spring. We thought about going to Disney for a week but then decided to wait because we had too much going on at the time. Finally we decided that we were going to take a four day mini-vacation to Great Wolf Lodge. I am not certain how many of our friends and family back home are familiar with GWL, but let me tell you... It is absolutely amazing and HUGE! It was the perfect getaway! That place has so much to offer. Amenities and activities include a huge indoor water park with tons of slides/rides for children of all ages, a wave pool, kiddie pool, day spa, children's day spa called "Scoops" (so cute), arcade, outdoor swimming pool, mini golf course, bowling alley, fitness center, restaurant, bakery, pizza hut, duncan donuts, pottery painting store, day care, and Magi-Quest which is basically a wizard game where children must follow clues and "Enchant" various things throughout the lodge- very cool. There was never a dull moment during our trip and when the fourth day came around, we were all very sad to leave.

First day in the indoor water park. Emma was excited to get going!

She and I had so much fun in the kiddie pool!

This was one of the bigger slides and oh was it ever fun!! It starts out at the top of a very tall set of stairs, takes you outside of the lodge where you ride through some loops (slide is closed in so that you are never cold) and then takes you back into the lodge where you drop down this set of slopes. Very fun and probably my favorite ride.

Wave pool with more large slides behind it. Those start indoors and then take you outdoors for about 95% of the ride before bringing you back inside. Pretty genius if you ask me.

Emma loved this. Me, not so much.

My little girl is so girly. She wore a bow (made by me) the entire time we were in the water park. Amazingly  that bow is still in perfect condition even after the four days of abuse.

They had these little water spouts everywhere and they were definitely Emma's favorite thing to play with.

Lilly pad pool.

A few of the kiddie slides.

More of the big slides.

Emma's first grilled cheese. We pretty much threw healthy eating out the window. It was vacation after all!

Inside the lobby area.

Great Clock Tower.

Magi-Quest store where you can purchase your wands and accessories.

Pottery painting.

Emma painted a bear piggy bank. It looked awesome after it came out of the fire pit.

We had to take breaks in between activities because Emma played hard and was very worn out. Issac and I even took a nap together every day which was awesome. Naps are now a rarity for us.

Little Lady needed 9 hair bows for a four day vacation. We had to have one for every outfit right?

We went ahead and booked a luxury sweet and had an awesome view from our balcony.

More from our balcony.

So this was really cool... At Great Wolf you don't have a card for your room. Instead you scan your bracelet that you keep on the entire time you are there and it opens up your door. Very cool!

My big surprise for Daddy... I booked us a private behind the scenes tour at Charlotte Motor Speedway!!!

We even got to ride around the track twice!

The worlds largest television.

Family photo in the winners circle.

The seat Emma is in sells for $1,000,000!

One happy guy!

Swoon! She is so cute!!! Ralph Lauren makes the best children's clothes ever.

Bakery. They had the most delicious chocolate cupcake I have ever had. 

Leaving Great Wolf. We were so to go but are so thankful for the wonderful memories we made during the four days we were there! God has blessed is immensely and we are so grateful for this beautiful life full of love and happiness.