2011 Family Portraits

We realized at the last minute (for putting together Christmas cards) that we had forgotten all about scheduling our usual Fall family photos!  So, we snagged a spot on the schedule at a studio in Lehi - I really prefer outdoor, more natural-looking (versus posed) family photos, but we did come away with a couple that we really liked.  Of course I had to do a little Photoshop work to get them looking just how I wanted them.  Emersyn was such a stinker making it hard to get single shots of her, but her true personality came through in a shot or two, the photo below being our favorite.  Love our little girl!

Recent Read: The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great story of hope amidst the terrible Nazi reign.  Loved the story, the metaphors, and especially the author's writing style.  Can't imagine having to have lived during such a time, but grateful at the same time for the examples of many who stayed true to what they knew was right and humane.


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Recent Read: Delivering Happiness

Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


After hearing Tony Hsieh speak at a conference I attended (a great speaker by the way), I wanted to learn more about what made him and Zappos so successful.  I picked up his book, even had it signed by him, and found it to be a quick, easy read.  He writes just as he speaks in an entertaining manner.  I felt like his story of success came about because of a mixture of luck and hard work.  Good read overall, but nothing really motivated me to jump into action.  The point is that customer service is key (delivering "happiness" as Tony terms it) in order to have a successful, thriving business no matter the market.



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feeling lighter!

My goal to catch up is still in the works... but "in the works" can have such a vague definition!  So, rather than catch up from back in time and work my way forward, I will begin with the here and now, keep moving forward, and add in the past as I am able.  Good plan?  Good plan.

I'm not sure what exactly it was, but after scheduling an appointment with a new stylist and thinking for a few days about what I wanted to do with my hair, I realized that I really was bored with long hair and decided to revisit about three years ago when I last had my hair short, and take the plunge... yes, I had more than 10 inches chopped off of my head!  It feels great.  And I am ecstatic that I've found a fantastic salon - Lunatic Fringe (shout out to Zach who is a.m.a.z.i.n.g - if you're ever looking for someone new to do your hair, he rocks it) - in Salt Lake.  There really is nothing better than an offer of any drink that I want before a consult with my stylist about our "plan" and then being taken back to the "lather lounge" for a nice shampoo and scalp/neck massage.  I seriously could have forgotten ALL about getting my hair cut and just gone for an hour longer massage - heaven!  I feel like I walked out of the salon with new friends, and best of all, great new hair!  A couple of the stylists said that I handled it well - cutting off so much hair - and asked if I was feeling any regrets or anxiety about it.  NOPE!  I was ready to be lighter, fresher, and freed from the high maintenance (well, either that or a ponytail every day... how boring) of having long hair.  It was high time to switch it up!  :)

Hello, what other salon offers you bottled water (among other drinks... juices, soda, etc.) in a GLASS bottle!   Serious business, I tell you.

Emersyn's reaction when I picked her up from the sitter was too funny.  She just kept looking at me with a big grin.  When I picked her up in my arms she kept turning my face to look around to my back - looking for my hair.  She would touch it and in her own little almost-2-year-old language say "Mom, your hair is missing!"  Such a cute girl.  I guess it's a good sign she didn't cry, ha!

20 months young, etc.

Emersyn hit her 20-month mark this past week - I cannot believe how FAST she is growing up!  We are loving every minute of her fiestiness, her sweetness, her silliness, her craziness, her downright cuteness!   She is such a blessing in our lives.  

She is busy deciding things for herself, answering us with either a "esss..." (yes) or a "doe" (no).  She can say "no" but usually prefers to say it with a D instead.  

She has become a very picky eater.  Any time I bring out something new she checks it out by touching it, and won't even taste it if she doesn't like how it feels.  Frustrating, but then I remember being that way as a kid too - if the texture wasn't just right I wouldn't eat it either.  Hoping she grows out of that one!  She does great with a fork in hand, not so great with a spoon, and loves to drink out of a regular cup when we let her.  

Not only does she love to climb nowadays, but she insists on standing on everything in sight.  Standing in the tub, on the couch, on chairs, on the dishwasher... on anything she can get on!  She tries to stand on the dogs, but has found that she has to resort to sitting on them instead.  She also took her first nosedive out of the crib when she tried climbing over the rails - I'm pretty sure it knocked the wind out of her for a moment and scared her enough that she hasn't tried climbing out of bed since.  I hope it stays that way, although I know that hope is probably in vain!

Emersyn found mommy's shoes today and gave us quite the laugh when she tried walking around in them.  She tried SO hard to keep them on!  Love these funny little moments.

She tried and tried to tie the laces as well.  It's amazing how quickly she is picking up on the little things that we do every day and trying to imitate us.

Emersyn also bore her testimony for the first time today at church - well, Nathan took her up to the stand with him.  She had on her white shades that she had pulled out of her diaper bag which gave the congregation quite a laugh.  Then as Nathan began to speak, she grabbed the microphone and proceeded to tell everyone "yay yay yay yay yay."  SO funny!  It was also our last Fast & Testimony meeting in our ward here in West Jordan and a great way to make a memorable exit!

Speaking of which, I am so sad to be leaving West Jordan!  We have enjoyed such a wonderful ward and have interacted with so many wonderful people that have influenced our lives for the better.  We hold great memories of our 4 years here and are grateful for the many experiences we've shared with people we've really grown to love.  I was really touched by the sons of one particular family who brought over a plate of brownies to wish us good luck, and another sweet Sister that I worked with for just a short time in the Primary who brought a darling bucket filled with bubbles & Mounds candy bars with a note that read "It was buckets of fun working with you!  Hope your summer bubbles over with excitement and your future brings you mounds of joy.  Best of Luck!"  Many people pulled us aside at church and even in the parking lot on our way out to wish us luck and say goodbye.  Seriously, what amazing people!  We hope to keep in touch with so many of them.

80mm 1.2

I rented a macro lens back in February for a newborn photoshoot and had a little bit of fun!

Roxy dog: 

Darius, Mr. Bulldogge:

Lilac tree buds:

Backyard tulips: 

More of the doggies, outside:

Emersyn's favorite movie these days - so much so, that it's scratched and skips during the bar scene.  Yeah, we'll need to replace it soon.  Good thing we think it's a cute show - watching it 5X/day is nuts!

Jump!

Emersyn grew rather fond of the Dawson's (backdoor neighbors) trampoline as soon as she realized she could jump all by herself on it.  Any time the kids were playing out back this summer she just had to join in the fun!  20 months old.

But, when she's had enough, she has had enough.  

She wanted me to put the camera down and hold her! Sweetest girl.

SO far behind!

At least once a week I tell myself:  "Self, you really need to set aside some time to catch up on blogging, and then keep it fresh!  Afterall, life needs to be documented!"

And so, here I am in a small attempt to get back with the program.

What have we been up to?

• Both Nathan and I have been extremely busy with work.  For him, at ETrade tax season means overtime and crazy hours.  For me, a heavier-than-usual workload at my job at Datamark for this time of year, along with working on the photography business (loving it by the way!) keeps me more than busy.
• Nathan, along with our backdoor neighbors and some of the Scouts, tore down part of our fence that was falling over.  Rain.  Oh, the rain, has made it a slow-go.  The fence is about half-way there now.  Nathan works on it when he has a spare minute.  Emersyn loves to supervise his work - too cute!
• In the meantime, making regular time to play with Emersyn and help her master all of the upcoming milestones in her life is challenging.  BUT it really is the most important thing to us.  So we do it.  Love her to pieces and more.
• Church callings.  Nathan in Young Mens/ Scouts requiring Sunday and weekday time.  Angela in Primary Presidency requiring Sunday and weekday time for meetings and activities.  Very rewarding work that I wouldn't trade. 
• We decided to put our house up for sale (for a number of reasons, the biggest one to be announced later... and no, we are not pregnant).  The first day on the market, our house booked eight (8!) showings for the following day.
• Cleaning, packing, and maintaining a certain level of "clean" that is appropriate for home showings is tough work!  For about a week and a half straight, we had house showings almost non-stop.  Grateful many of them were during our work hours, but those weekend ones got to be a little tedious especially when they collided with Emersyn's naptime.
• Word has gotten around the ward that we are moving.  We really are sad to be leaving come June.  So many people, old and young, that we have grown close to over that past 4 years. 
• I was just released from the Primary this past Sunday.  Great chance to focus on getting us moved, etc., but such mixed feelings about it.  I just about lost it when the Primary kiddos got up to sing in Sacrament Meeting for Mother's Day - I will miss them so!
• Offers on the house!  Yes, plural.  Which for us meant that our realtor took the house off the market a couple of days ago.  No more showings.  Now we can pack in peace and Emersyn can makes messes to her heart's content.  :)
• Did I mention we are moving?  We will be living in my Dad's home - the home I grew up in - for the time being.  It will be a temporary situation - more on that later!

I think that sums up our lives at this snapshot in time.  Things are a bit crazy, but we're hanging in there and loving life nonetheless!

I promise to catch up and then stay caught up.  It's a personal goal of mine for the coming year.  My birthday is coming up and for me, this year, it is a time of personal reflection and goal-setting.  A biggie:  blog regularly & document it in printed format.  Here goes!...

Favorite Toy

Emersyn received a fun shape sorter toy from her friend Jack for her first birthday - it's gotten quite a bit of use!  It's one of the few toys that we plan on holding onto to pass down to future babies.  Hours of entertainment!

Photos taken 4/5/11.

Pillow Games

Our Emersyn girl is a hoot!  She has a couple games she loves to play on the couch.  She loves to lay on the couch and be covered with all of the cushions and pillows.  We poke at her through the cracks, or remove a pillow and call "peek-a-boo!" - she thinks it's hilarious!  In these photos she is "hiding" by throwing her face down onto a pillow.  It certainly doesn't take much to entertain this little one!

Photos taken 4/3/2011.  Emersyn at 18 months.

Hogle Zoo

Emersyn and I snuck away one warm afternoon to the Hogle Zoo with Grandma Allen.  It was so much fun that Emersyn recognized the animals (as compared to last year as an 10-month old).  I took photos of the animals that captured her attention the most.  Such a fun little expedition that we'll have to do again when it warms up this summer!