Just like...Daddy?

Lately Emma has been using the phrase "just like..." a lot. And when I say a lot, I mean it's all day long 2-3 times per hour. I'll tell her to do something or she'll ask to do something and then say "just like Grandma" or put someone else's name there. Trust me, she uses everyone's names. Just today she's already said "just like Grandma, Daddy, Timothy, Kayla, Hannah, Mommy, Papa, and Emma." The best part is that it doesn't always make sense. For example, we were talking about girls and boys. I told her she was a girl, and she said "just like daddy."

The Great Outdoors

Over the weekend we took a quick trip to Colorado. We met Eric's parents in Glenwood Springs and on Saturday we hiked up to Hanging Lake. It was beautiful. It was absolutely amazing. It was also the hardest 1.25 mile hike I've ever been on (and I've gone on quite a few hikes in my time). During this mile and a quarter hike we gained 1,000 feet in elevation. The whole time we were climbing over rocks etc. And any time we stopped to rest (which we did several times!!) Emma would chastise us from her comfy seat in the backpack. I'm going to have to explain to her that when we're on a hike that requires her to ride in the backpack, she needs to be more patient. And if that logic doesn't work, I'll tell her that mommy is old! Hanging Lake is well worth the hike. And if I can say that, you can trust that it's true. The setting is very picturesque. Emma loved it up there. You can go up a little further and see what is called Spouting Rock, which is a hole that lets the water spout out (hence the name). This time of year though, there is a lot of water which doesn't all fit through the hole, so it was also gushing over the top of the rock. Emma enjoyed the boardwalk around the lake and liked looking at fish with Grandma. She also made a new friend - a very friendly white butterfly that kept landing on her hand.

That afternoon we went up to the Fairy Caves on top of Iron Mountain. It was nice and cool inside the caves, and they were pretty. Eric loves caves, so it doesn't really matter to him what's inside - he just wants to go. There were some longer more adventurous tours you could take in this cave that had Eric practically drooling at the sound of them. I of course am slightly claustrophobic, so crawling and sliding through miniscule and practically non-existent crevices in a dark cave is not my idea of fun. Eric and his dad also rode on the alpine roller coaster they had up there. It’s like an alpine slide, but on tracks, so it’s smoother, faster, and apparently a lot more fun too. After a nice (and much needed) dinner, Emma was tired, so I went back to our room with her while everyone else went to the hot springs and soaked in the giant hot tub.

The next morning we went up to Aspen. I had never been there. That was always the elusive trip my family was going to take that never worked out. We always ended up going someplace else (which was probably more fun for kids anyways, so don’t feel guilty dad!!). Aspen was really pretty. It has a very quaint feel to the town. We drove up to Independence Pass, of course stopping for pictures on the way (and so Eric could stand in near freezing water - for some reason he loves that), and stopping at the Ghost town of Independence. Emma didn’t quite understand the concept of a ghost town… she wanted to see a witch too.

It was a short but fun trip. Emma hit the jackpot and got some clothes and books from Grandma (thanks again!). Luckily Eric had today off, so he can rest up before going back to work tomorrow. Maybe I’ll sneak a nap in today too! Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Meadows for a great weekend. We miss you already.

Reading in Bed

Last night around 9:30 we went in to check on Emma. Her bedtime is 7:30, so she should have been asleep. Instead this is what we found...

She had a stack of 12 books with her in bed. She had gotten up, grabbed the books, put them on her bed, and tucked herself back in. When she went to bed the room would have been light enough still to see, but when we went in it wasn't very light at all, but she didn't seem to care. I'm surprised she didn't just turn the light on. I guess if she's going to stay up doing something, reading is just about the best thing to do. I love how much she loves reading.

Recent Obsession

Okay I admit it... I am in love with a Lego toy. Well, not exactly in love, but seriously obsessed with. Lately I've been playing Lego Indiana Jones for the Wii and loving it. It's soooooooo much fun! Come over and you can try it out. Eric, who still loves legos, bought a small lego set the other day of Indiana Jones and his dad in the motorcycle and sidecar from the 3rd movie. I told Eric that the Indiana Jones figurine was the sexiest lego character I'd ever seen. I know how this sounds, but ladies let me tell you, that cute little hat is chalk full of extreme awesomeness. Hee hee. You be the judge.

Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting

Last night we decided to go to the movies. We've never taken Emma with us before because, well, we didn't think she'd make it through the whole thing and we didn't want to have to leave. The only movies she makes it through are a couple of Disney ones we have. So we brought her and it was fine, partly because it was a drive-in. I had actually never gone to a drive-in before. Crazy huh? We saw Kung Fu Panda and Indiana Jones. Emma only made it through the first one. Considering her bed time is 2 hours earlier than the first movie even started, it was a very late night for her. And considering the second movie didn't end until 1:30 it was a very late night for us too. Especially Eric who had to get up less than 4 hours after we got home. Poor guy. But he was the one who was pushing for us to go last night, so I only sort of feel bad. :-) Emma loved the freedom in the car prior to watching the movies. Of course she wasn't in her seat much. She was climbing on the seats. looking out the windows, and sticking her head through the sunroof (with a little help). I'm glad she had fun, because this is a nice chance for us to go see some movies without having to find a sitter (considering we don't really know anyone yet) or going down to my family so they can watch her. So I don't give any spoilers away here, if you want to know what I thought of the movies you can call or email me. My favorite line from the movies was in Kung Fu Panda, right at the beginning. Po (the panda) says something about suffering due to overexposure to extreme awesomeness. That's how I'm going to describe everything good from now on... as having extreme awesomeness.

ABC Tag

Okay, I've been tagged. Here goes...

A-Attached or Single? - Attached.
B-Best Friend - Who says you have to have just one? There have been several people I would place in that category, but for here let's just say... you know who you are. =)
C-Cake or Pie? - Depends on my mood, but usually I would choose Razzleberry pie over cake.
D-Day of choice? - Saturday, because Eric's home, and we can have fun as a family.
E-Essential item? - Sunglasses. I've always had pretty sensitive eyes, so I have to have sunglasses with me.
F-Favorite color? - Blue for me, Purple for Emma
G-Gummy bears or worms? - Bears, but only Haribo Gummy Bears. I don't like any other brand.
H-Hometown? - Salt Lake City
I-Favorite Indulgence? - Lately it's Haagen-Dazs Pineapple Coconut icecream. Seriously yummy!!!
J-January or July? - July. It's better for camping.
K-Kids? - Just my Emma so far, but she makes me very happy.
L-Life isn't complete without? - Saved by the Bell reruns. Okay, actually it's my little family...and shoes. =) It's also not complete without making Eric roll his eyes at least once a day.
M-Marriage Date? - January 4, 2003
N-Number of Bros & Sis? -2 brothers, 1 sister
O-Oranges or Apples? - apples
P-Phobias and Fears? - My biggest fear is that something bad will happen to Emma.
Q-Quote? - Lots of good quotes, but here's one I already have posted on my blog. "Laughter is beautiful music" -Bill Peet
R-Reason to smile? - Emma's singing
S-Season of choice? - Autumn anywhere that has fall colors.
T-Tag Ten People? - It's not ten people, but: Christy, Craig, Robin, Wendy, Shannon, Kathy
U-Unknown fact about me? - One of my deepest desires is to be a racecar driver
V-Vegetable? - Don't have a stand out favorite, but the one I've loved longest is Green Beans. I liked them as a kid and still do.
W-Worst habit? - I have to limit it to one?!! Come on, I'm a veritable goldmine of bad habits. Umm, how about not putting my laundry away right when it's done.
X-X-Ray? - As far as I can remember, only dental or Oral Surgery related x-rays.
Y-Your favorite food? - Food type = Chinese food. Individual food = raspberries.
Z-Zodiac sign? - Leo

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

Yay!! Just ask Eric... I love to buy stuff for him, so any excuse to get him a present is relished. This is what I got him...

I wish it could have been a surprise, but we've been planning on it for awhile. That and the fact that I wouldn't know how to begin wrapping or hiding a canoe. Emma is almost more excited than Eric. When we went to pick it up, we told her we were going to go look at boats. Let's just say it's a good thing she was buckled in her seat because she almost jumped right out. She said she wanted a red one, so we just had to oblige. I told Eric that if he gets a boat than so do I. This is what I'm asking for for my birthday...But on the more serious side of the day, I would like to tell Eric how grateful I am to have such a wonderful husband who also happens to be the worlds best dad! He is so terrific with Emma. She just goes wild when he gets home and always wants him to everything for and with her when he's around. It makes my heart smile to see them together. I love you Eric!

I would also like to thank my dad for always being there for me and for always looking out for me. He was/is always ready to listen, and to give advice (wanted or not =) ). And now he's being a wonderful Grandpa to Emma. She is really lucky to know all 4 of her grandparents - that's something I never had. Thank you dad. I love you. Happy Father's Day.

Father's Day Facts

Okay, it's scary how much less information you can find about father's day than mother's day. It's sad how the world views father's versus mother's. All I know is how I feel about my parents and how Emma feels about us which leads me to conclude that father's are just as important as mother's. I guess some other people have the same opionion with the recent complaints agains Hallmark for the way their cards portray fathers. Too bad we can't have it both ways. I like the sarcasm and jokes, but on the serious side am very grateful for my dad and for Eric. Well, here is some info about dads...it's not much, but it's all I could find.

The idea of father's day came to Sonora Dodd in Spokane, Washington in 1909 while she listened to a mother's day sermon. Her father was a widowed Civil War veteran left to raise 6 kids on a farm, and she wanted a day to honor him too. The following year some people started celebrating father's day (which had been declared to be on June 19th that year by the Mayor of Spokane because that was the month of Sonora Dodd's father's birthday), and it slowly spread. It wasn't until 1966 that Lyndon B Johnson issued a presidential proclamation that designated the third sunday in June as father's day. Still, it wasn't permanent until 1972 when Richard Nixon signed a public law that made it so.

Here are a couple jokes I found (again, info was scarce).

1. The father of five children had won a toy at a raffle. He called his kids together to ask which one should have the present. "Who is the most obedient?" he asked. "Who never talks back to mother? and"Who does everything mother says?" Five small voices replied in unison. "Okay daddy! You get the toy."
2. Bob was 16 and finally got hold of his driver's license. In order to celebrate the special day, the whole family went out to the driveway and climbed into the car to enjoy his first official drive. However, dad went to the back seat, where he sat right behind his boy. When Bob saw his dad he said "Dad, you must be fed up of the front seat after teaching me how to drive all these days Right?" "Nope!", came the quick reply from the dad. "I'm going to sit back here and kick the back of your seat while you drive, just like you've been doing to me for the last sixteen years!"
3. After putting their three-year-old child Brian in bed, his parents heard muffled sobs coming from his room one night. Rushing back in, they found that the child was crying hysterically when he saw them. He told his parents that he had accidentally swallowed a penny and was sure that he would die now. The father, in an attempt to sober him down, took out a penny from his pocket and pretended to pull it out from Brian's ear. The child was really thrilled and stopped crying at once. In a flash, he snatched the penny from his dad's hand, swallowed it, and then cheerfully demanded, "Do it again, Dad!"
4. After getting his driving license, David visited home during vacation and asked his dad for the family car. His dad agreed, but put forwarded three conditions - good grades in school, a neat room and a decent haircut. After several months, David came home again. He had followed the three things that he had promised his dad, except getting his hair cut. When the father saw that his son had disobeyed him, he asked for an explanation. David smartly said, "Hey dad, even Jesus had long hair." His Father was not someone to be taken for a ride and smilingly replied, "Yes, son, you're absolutely right. And Jesus also walked everywhere he went."
5. While having their evening dinner together, a little girl looked up at her father and asked, "Daddy, you're the boss in our family, right?" The father was very pleased to hear it and confidently replied, "Yes my little princess." The girl then continued, "That's because mommy put you in charge, right?"
6. A father was enjoying with his five-year-old son in the beach. Suddenly, the boy pointed to a dead bird and asked his father "Dad, what happened to this chap?" The dad coolly replied "Oh this? He just died and went to Heaven," The little boy thought for a moment and then said, "Oh My, Did God throw him back down?"
7. A small boy came up to his dad and meekly said "Daddy, Daddy, can I have another glass of water please?" The dad replied "But I've given you 10 glasses of water already son!" The little boy then said, "Oh yes daddy, but the bedroom is still on fire!"
8. What do you call two people who do not hesitate to embarrass you in front of your friends? Mum and Dad!!

New Bed

Okay, it's long overdue, and we've been meaning to get one for her for a long time, but we finally got Emma a new bed. We were going to get one last fall, but then we new we were going to be moving sometime soon, so we decided to hold off until after we moved (one less thing to move, right?). We didn't move until the end of March, I was in and out of town quite often, we were trying to get settled with our existing stuff, and then I was in California for awhile. So, we finally made it a priority. She has been sleeping in a toddler bed version of her crib. The verdict is in... she loves it!!! All the time I've spent with her (lately especially) in hotels has made her just go mad for big beds. So now that she has one of her own she just can't seem to calm down. The first thing she did was grab some books and sit down for a reading session. Here are a couple pictures (and yes those are Halloween pajamas - she just loves them though, so what can you do?).

My Little Fashionista

The other day when Emma came out of her room from her nap this is what she was wearing. (Okay, I put the socks on before taking the picture - I just can't stand the thought of her wearing those rubber boots without socks on). My first thought was that she looked like the 60's. It was so funny I had to take her picture.

Bear Lake

Over the weekend we went up to Bear Lake. Eric's cousin has a cabin there and they let us use it. Almost my entire family was able to come. We had a lot of fun, even if the weather didn't fully cooperate with us.

On Saturday we went down to the lake and had it to ourselves. Well, there was a good reason for that. The sun was sort of shining, but spending a lot of time behind clouds, and the wind was blowing. It made it rather chilly. The kids played on the beach a little and had fun playing in the sand with Uncle Brad while building temples (not castles, but temples according to them).
They all took turns going out in a canoe my brother brought up. They all had fun out on the water, and were very well behaved.

While some of us were near shivering, the only one seemingly unaffected by the coldness of the day and the water was Hannah. She wanted to get in the water (and did) and then didn't want to get back out again. I guess the youngest in our group was also the strongest. =)

Back at the cabin we watched movies and played games. My family are all big time gamers, so we loved having the time to play. (Sorry for the poor quality picture, but you get the idea.)
Even though the weather didn't allow for a fire outside, Eric was determined to have smores anyways. I didn't mind because they were yummy! After some delicious omelets courtesy of my cute hubby, we all headed for home on Sunday morning. Thanks to Sam and Jamie for providing their cabin so we could have such a fun weekend!

Listening Skills

Okay, so I've been having issues lately with Emma and her listening skills. I know my mom will laugh at this post, because she always claimed I had selective hearing. Whenever she'd want me to do something I conveniently wouldn't be able to hear her. I don't remember anything like that though. All I remember was being the perfect child. =) Okay, so now you're all laughing. But Emma is so wierd sometimes. I'll ask her to pick something up off the floor and give it to me, and she'll look around for it and sometimes never get it. It's almost as if she doesn't see it, but that's not it. According to doctors so far she has perfect vision like her Mama, but she'll practically trip over the object before "seeing" it to get it. And it's not as though I'm asking her to get something she's not familiar with... it's always something she knows like her sippy cup! What the???!! But then she'll have a moment like she did yesterday when she picked a cheerio off the floor (I hadn't swept up her breakfast yet) and put it in her mouth and made a yummy sound. I told her not to put food in her mouth that had been on the floor, and she promptly spit it back out. She baffles me. For someone with perfect vision and perfect hearing she sure has a funny way of showing it. Are all kids like this or is it just mine? You know, if it's just mine maybe don't tell me so I can still live in the dillusional world I've created where my daughter is perfectly normal... just like her Mom. =)

Family Cook-Out

Over the weekend my family went up the canyon to have dinner. We love dutch oven cooking, and try to go as often as we can. This time we were celebrating my brother's birthday. I was pretending it was a get together for Emma and me since we just got back from California. The kids all seemed to love being outside. Emma kept getting scraped up, crying, and then moving on to more fun. I'm always amazed at how resiliant kids are. The temperature was perfect, and so was the food. I just love being outside. I can't wait to go camping this summer. It's our favorite activity. We probably know of at least 5 or 6 times that we want to go, and that doesn't include the spontaneous camping that will occur. If you ever can't get ahold of us on the weekend, you know we're off in a tent somewhere or up on a trail. I love it. In the video the kids were running around the fire pit with trains. The background noise is John trying to get Hannah 's attention for a picture. The kids kept running around like this. They loved it, and amazingly enough, no one got dizzy.

I Scream, You Scream...

Icecream. It's a dangerous word. If we say it within earshot of Emma we better make good on it. She remembers without fail that we said icecream, and will not hesitate to remind us 20 or 30 times. We went out for Icecream the day after we got back from California. Emma said she wanted pink icecream. We got her strawberry, but she ended up wanting Eric's chocolate raspberry more. She is so funny when she eats icecream. She concentrates and totally focuses on the cone. Sometimes she almost looks angry she is so focused. Maybe it's such a big deal because she doesn't get it that often, so when she does she has to enjoy every second of it. I don't think I've ever met a child who didn't like icecream, so it's not a surprise that she loves it so much. Our weakness is how much we love watching her eat it... she's so funny.