The Christmas Tree and Santa's note.

The tree is finally up. Actually, it's been up since the first week of December, but I just got around to taking some photos. We've got kind of a star/angel thing going on, mixed with some great homemade ornaments. It looks better at night :)

This morning I found the greatest note under the tree.  I can speak for Santa when I say sometimes that kid is hysterical.

Welcome.

Emma-ism on Fashion.

We went shopping for another pair of pants on Saturday (remember the cut up black pants fiasco). As I followed her into the dressing room she had a pair of pants for $12 and some really weird shirt. Then she said, "Mom, I can do this myself. Please wait." Then she closed the curtain and hooked the lock. Rude.

After a few minutes I asked her if she needed any help. "Nope. I'll tell you when I'm ready."  Fast forward another 5 minutes. "Okay mom. You can come in."  

"I like them"

"I know, I look super cute! Can I have the shirt?"

It was $42 and loaded with glitter. How do you even wash glitter? I'm not paying $42 for a half glitter shirt. I don't care if the hoodie is 'awesome' and you look super cute. You can look super cute in a $10 shirt (and she did, well $24 shirt).

We did get the pants too. If she cuts them up, I'm grounding her for 400 years.

'Emma-ism'

Em: Mom. What should I do if a boy in school calls me mean swear word names? Should I call him those names back?

Me: No. You should tell a teacher and tell your mom.

Em: or, I could tell my brother and he could pound him.

Caramel Recipe - mmmmm

Reading Time

I realized over the last few weeks that reading time with Em has been sorely lacking. We have started again to make it a nightly ritual. Last night we read a couple of Mercer Mayer books. Her favorite is "Just Going to the Dentist", only because I do crazy voices and made up dialog for the frog and spider.  Tonight I had the frog afraid for his life and the spider trying to egg everybody on to scare the frog even more.

She laughed so hard she fell of the bed. 

Yes, mom is still cool.

What is she up to...?

Can't you just see the wheels turning...

Favorite Fall Photos Part 2

I had a photography lesson and guided tour of Alpine with Von and Howard in late October.  Here are my best shots.

 Blue Mountains

Howard in Yellow Trees

 

 Me. Phone shot :)

 Morning Light

 A Quiet Place

 Blue Sky

 Blue Creek

 Reflections

Within the Branches

The Target Pants

This past Saturday Em and I went to Target for a few groceries. We wandered through the girls clothing section and I bought her a cute pair of black pants with a black and white striped skirt attached (that actually went to her knees). It was cute. She liked it, I liked it, it was on sale, so we bought it.

Fast forward Monday morning to the 8 year old who threw a fit because she hated the pants on. 

"Too tight, too weird, I look funny" 

"You look adorable"

"I don't want to look adorable!"  

"Why did we buy them in the first place?" 

"Because I wanted to go to the toy section so I said I liked them"
 Instant punishment for that comment. 
"Guess what? You get to wear them, go get your coat on" (Wailing, gnashing of teeth)

Monday evening. Picked her up at her aunts. The cute pants had been ripped through the knee and the skirt had been cut with scissors.  

Seriously? Oh, she's in trouble.
She had to write me a letter of apology. 

 

 She wasn't happy. She had to pay me $10 out of her money and then she had to write down her own punishment if she did it again. And on top of that I made her help me clean the basement.

(Heart felt letter of apology...sure)

My favorite part was the grounding for 400 years.

I can't believe she cut up those pants.

Waiting for the dentist

Believe it or not, this is one of Em's favorite places.

They both look older to me today.
I have this weird nostaglic feeling. Not sure if I like it.

Yesterday's Sunset

"My beloved friend President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives..." 

...Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His words. By so doing, we give to Him the divine gift of gratitude.

My sincere, heartfelt prayer is that we may in our individual lives reflect that marvelous virtue of gratitude. May it permeate our very souls, now and evermore"

 President Thomas S. Monson 

(click on his name to read the talk)

Yesterday's blessing 
(phone photo doesn't do it justice, it was beautiful)

“Keep your eyes open to your mercies. The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.” (Robert Louis Stevenson)

Favorite Fall Photo

The best kid ever turned 16.

 

Favorite Summer Photo

I kind of miss the summer, the fall has moved on and winter is just cold and complicated, but I always feel better when I look at this picture. I love Em's face. So dang cute.

More photos from LA

Beauty of Highland Park, CA

Two of my favorite people in the whole wide world

(Jim and Landy)

My favorite missionary!

The best tacos in California - Titos Tacos. Mmmmm. Yummy.

LA

Loved LA. Attended a conference on Social Media and Marketing. They focused a lot on blogging, but I did get some good ideas and information for marketing.

The best part! Getting to spend a whole lot of one on one time with Landy. One of the dearest blessings in my life. Love that woman! 22 years of friendship.

We visited Bailee (Sis. Brinkerhoff) at the temple. Wonderful visit with a stalwart missionary. She is adorable.

The city is wonderful. Huge. Tragic. Beautiful. I loved every moment.

I do not like to fly, but it was worth it.

This sign was under one of the overpasses just outside the city. There was so much traffic I got a fantastic shot.

More to come.

Fall Break Blessings

Tonight I have four Spanish Fork 16 year old teenage boys in my basement, chowing down on $50 worth of pizza, soda and junk food, making a mess and a lot of noise,

and I'm so glad they are here.

News report from this week:

Spanish Fork teens killed in train accident.

More fall photos

 

Explosion

Chelle and I drove through the alpine loop on Saturday. Jenn (Landy's daughter) came with us. We almost made it up to Cascade Springs until Chelle's car overheated.  The cap blew off and we had a huge explosion of steam and Chelle took an anti-freeze shower. No major burns (thankfully). I thought about taking a photo, but she would not have appreciated it.

The colors were beautiful.

A Neon Look

Siblings = A free pass to torment

You can find Hank here.

Emma Comments

Grocery Store Scene

"Mom, what are we giving away as treats for Halloween?"

I'm not sure, why?

"Please don't give away oranges and apples or some kind of weird vegetable.  I don't want to be THAT house. meh."

um...ok...

 Emma at Annie's baptism. October 2011

The Ultimate Treat

The dishes were in the sink, the laundry was waiting to be put away, and the rooms needed to be picked up.

We played go FISH instead.

Hurray!

created in Photoshop CS5