A Party

Happy Birthday to a great mom! It was on Friday, I know, but with the semester ending and papers to be written, I didn't get around to putting all this on the blarg. But here it is now. For mom's b-day we decided to head out to Dragon Buffet up in Lake Forest. It came highly recommended and was pretty good. There was a lot of seafood such as crab legs, oysters, clams, a sushi bar, and fish. There was the chinese food staples such as sweet and sour chicken, general tsos chicken, egg rolls, etc. It was a good meal for all, and we all tried things we've never eaten before (mom had never tried crabs legs). Then we came home and had Possum Pie, a sort of pudding pie with pecan crust, cream cheese, pudding and whip cream on top. Yum! (I had to use a mini butane torch to get all the candles lit rapidly, because if we used a lighter or match, the first candle lit would have burned to a stub by the time we got the last candle lit) We enjoyed it (especially Natalie) and opened gifts. Mom got socks from Natalie, and a new digital camera. It was a pretty good party. Mary is the bestest mommy, wifey, giver of love, healer of wounds, sharer of laughs, tickler of the belly, back rubber, silly song singer, maker of lunches, midnight diaper changer, help dad out with school, care taker of finances, spiritual adviser, scripture reader, eternal partner, toilet scrubber, dish cleaner, tough as nails, good looking, great cooking, butt kicking, frozen cup lovin, all american, birthday girl.

For the Grandparents

I know it's kind of boring to see another baby making their cute noises and faces. But it's for all the grandparents who can't be here right now to see all the cuteness. Emily is not grunting and squeaking as much anymore and is starting to coo and smile on cue. It's a great time!

Hamonica

Natalie loves music, and the other day we were video chatting with Aunt Jen and Madeline was playing the Harmonica. Natalie didn't know what that was so dad pulled his out of storage and let her go at it. She's a natural!

Natalie

Natalie is the greatest big sister and almost-three year old that I know. She loves to play with her stuffed animals and takes them on a "Mission" as she puts them in her basket and pretends it's a boat taking them to a mission. She also loves to imitate everything mom and dad do especially as it concerns the baby. She loves to wrap her bear up in a blanket just like Emily and carry him around the house. The other day she came and wanted to put bear in the baby carrier. She ended up carrying him around for a long time like that, going about her play as usual with bear firmly in place. She's definitely got a great nurturing instinct. She gets that from a great mom.

The Irvine Museum

Last week we ventured out of the house to go up to the Art Supply Warehouse for some paintings supplies for dad. On our way we stopped in Irvine at the Irvine Museum. It was great because it was Saturday, free parking, and not many people there. They had a grand ole display of paintings from the early Californian painters with the theme of flowers. Natalie loved to look at all the colors, and Emily slept the entire time. It was really great to get out again( as a family now) and see some great art together (something mom and dad really like to do).

My Little girls

So even though I'm outnumbered 3-1 in our house, there's nothing better than having two little girls that I can call my daughters. It's really great to have these two sweet spirits in our family. At the very least, I have someone who can take care of myself and Mary when I'm senile and aged.

Ruminations on a Conference Weekend

It was good to hear the talks this General Conference. It was great to see the Prophet wiggle his ears during his talk in Priesthood meeting, and it was really nice to be with our family all together for the whole day. I was pondering on Conference with Mary and talking about the talks given and relishing the spirit we have felt, and I thought back to Conference in our early days as young lads and lasses. I remember that my dad got the old radio out and rigged up an old apple crate with wire wrapped around it so that the radio would pick up the signal from KSL in Salt Lake City (Mind you we lived in Wyoming at the time). We would drive up South Hill (Green River is in a basin) in our emerald green van, drive off on a dirt side road until we picked up the signal on the radio; then we'd park and listen while we chucked rocks at the sage brush, and looked for lizards.

Now we can watch Conference on our computers via the internet. And of course we got to video chat with Grandma and Grandpa this afternoon. (Kip put it best, "I love technology..." ) What great things we have, that allow us to have the voice and teachings of the prophet and apostles enter our very homes when we are so very far away. Sometimes its hard to be so far from Utah and the wonderful people and events that are there. Don't get me wrong, there are great people out here, but I feel like we're so far from home. All these wonderful technologies make that distance seem very short indeed. I hope that everyone that watched conference feels as energized and revitalized as Mary and I do. 'Nuff said.

Brewery Artwalk

Dad here. Some of you may remember last year after school started I might have mentioned something called the Brewery Artwalk. Well they have it twice a year and it occurred this weekend. This time, I went up to help set the show up since I couldn't help out with the gallery during the show on Saturday and Sunday (it being Conference weekend of course). I took some pictures just to show you that I am actually participating in creating art and not just out here learning how to surf. (Although, I could probably get my Bishop to teach me) It was fun to go and help set up the show, though it was time consuming and tiring. It's up in LA and it's about an hour and pouco drive up there from down here in Orange County. I have advancement review coming up at the end of this month so it is going to get crazy go nuts around here for a while. I will have updates for my art website later on, and will keep y'all posted.

Chuck E Cheese

Mary has been doing an obedience sticker chart with Natalie this past while. If Natalie fills up her chart she gets to have her pick of prize. She wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese so we obliged her. She was in luck as this time she actually got to meet Mr. Cheese in person. It was fun had by all.

Faces of Emily

Some more pictures of our little Emily. What a joy she is to us. Even when she is grunting and squeaking we love her to bits. It's an interesting thing having number two. We have watched as parts of Natalie's personality have emerged that never would have had we not had Emily come into our family. Natalie loves to hold and cuddle with Emily. She is always asking if everything is alright when Emily cries. Natalie loves to help bathe Emily and change her diaper. It's been really touching to see this loving and nurturing side come out of Natalie since the arrival of her sister. It's great to have these two little girls in our home.

First Sundays

We love that first Sunday after the baby is born that both mom and baby get to go to church. It's been rough for dad and Natalie to go off on their own to church. So on this momentous occasion, we took some pictures of this good looking family . We couldn't get a straight smile out of Natalie for a picture in her dress. Sorry Grandma. I guess she really is our daughter.