When I Was Her Age..

...I also had a shoe fetish.  I guess some things never change.

Olivia's Birthday Videos

I'm sure Jacquelinne will post some of the pictures we took tonight but until then, here are a couple of videos we took while Olivia was opening her birthday presents.  The reason there are two was I didn't know there was more in the last box.  However, I'm glad we got the second video because Olivia ran to her room and was so cute.  We hope you enjoy.

Video #1:

Video #2:

While looking through our camera, we also found a video we took last year and thought we'd share it with you.  It's amazing for us to see how much she has grown up in just the past 12 months.  

Olivia's 1st Birthday (Last Year)

Halloween Weekend & Emery Bug Update

We had such a fun weekend up north visiting grandparents and showing off our cute kids in their Halloween Costumes!

 Olivia was a duck (as she says) and Emery was a ladybug

 Visiting Aunt Yaya at work

And just a quick update on our adorable little Emery Bug!  Sorry, bug, we have been really bad at posting pictures of you!  These pictures perfectly capture our little cutie at almost six months old.  She is the happiest, smiliest, most well tempered child.  She recently learned how to roll over and is more determined than ever to figure out how to scoot and crawl.  She wants more than anything to be able to keep up with big sister!

We love those big blue eyes.  This is a signature Emery look.

Family Pictures

I am so ecstatic that I received our family pictures tonight!  I know, finally, right?  My mom has been so worried about not having any pictures of Emery in her house, yet.  Grandparents, we will send up copies of these pictures when we come up for Halloween!  P.S. we put the girls in their Halloween costumes tonight and I am absolutely thrilled with how cute they are!!  And the fact that it is not the day before Halloween and we have their costumes figured out is already a huge plus.

Here is a few of my faves from the shoot.  We were given a CD of the pictures so any of these can be printed for anyone who wants to have a shrine of us in their home--I wouldn't blame you, our girls are dang cute!!  And Photoshop always does miraculous things for Craig and me.

 This pictures absolutely makes my heart sing!

 My cute hubby.  Yes, he is embarrassed right now and upset that I posted this.

 I absolutely adore this photo of us all.  Our girls love to play on Mommy and Daddy's bed, 

so this picture perfectly captures how normal day-to-day life is in our home.

 So pretty, little and perfect!

Beautiful little girl of mine!  I know, I'm a little bias!

 These pictures were taken in early June about 2 or 3 weeks after Emery was born.  I can't believe how much both girls have grown since then.  I hope to post more recent pictures soon! 

My Beautiful Livie

I had a friend post this picture on Facebook and, at this very moment, this picture is melting my heart.  I love this girl so much!

A Post Devoid of Pictures

Most of you reading this will complain that there are no pictures of the family in this update.  However, it is an update for those who will forgive me this once, and continue reading.

Summer has come and gone, Jacquelinne is using blogger everyday, just not posting on our blog.  She has become quite the custom blog designer and it seems that most of her blogs end up in the Smitten Blog Design Portfolio.  She is very dedicated and always gives 110% to her clients and has been a real trooper.  Our computer crashed in July and put her out of commission for about 2 1/2 weeks and it seems like she's been playing catch up ever since.  Lots of late nights and I'm grateful for the sacrifices she's made for our family.  She is a wonderful Mother to our two daughters and you can tell she is because of how smart and (mostly) well-behaved they are.

Olivia has become quite the chatter box and jokester. She speaks in complete sentences with Jac but not so much with me.  I'm more the guy she yells at around the house, "DAD, Daddy, Dadda, etc.," and Jac is the one she knows will listen.  She's had a few haircuts and just recently got an A-cut haircut and looks so adorable.  She also loves her baby sister and is so sweet to her most of the time.  She just can't get enough of her and takes every chance she gets to give her hugs and kisses, and lay on her when she's on the ground.  Olivia has also learned to fold her arms during prayers and makes sure we pray every night before she goes to bed.    She really is a good little girl!

Emery, or as we like to call her, "Emery Bug", is chunkin' up and is such a happy girl.  She usually goes to bed around 8:30 or 9 every night and even though she wakes up once or twice in the night to eat, she's pretty good to sleep in until 10 or 11 most days.  She always has the biggest gummy smile on her face and even lets out a cute chuckle every once in a while when the timing is right.  She has rolled over a few times and just this week she started to scoot around on the floor.  Before we know it, she'll be crawling all over the place.  I think we take her in for a 4 month appointment soon so we should know her weight and stuff in a few days but for now, I just know she's healthy and happy.

As you can tell, I love my girls! They are everything to me. As for my update, I am in a period of transition.  Work at MoneyDesktop has slowed down quite a bit and so I've started looking for something else.  I just found out today that I got accepted to the Business Administration program at the University of Utah and will start in January.  As such, if any of you know of job openings up north, please keep me posted.  We are planning on moving to Bountiful/North Salt Lake before school and would love to work somewhere in the Salt Lake Valley (Draper to Salt Lake) or south Davis County.

Heavenly Father has been good to us and blessed us with energy and health to keep up with life.  We wish it were possible to get out more often to see all of you and will make a more concerted effort to be involved in your lives moving forward.  Until then, feel free to find us on facebook, follow me on twitter, or give us a call just to chat and catch up.  Thank you for your friendships and for being our friends and family!

P.S. For anyone who actually read this, 50 gazillion points for you!

Frozen S'mores

Seriously, aren't these the cutiest things you have ever seen?  They are lovely and I really wish I could be throwing a grand barbecue this weekend under a beautiful, warm early summer sky so that I could serve these up!  No such luck--because apparently we live in Seattle, now, not Utah. 

But really, I just wanted to post these on the old blog so that I knew where to track down the recipe for when Mr. Golden Sun decides to shine down on me. :)

 Frozen S'mores

Recipe Ingredients

1 box (17.6 oz) brownie mix
2 pints vanilla Swiss almond ice cream
2 pints light chocolate ice cream
10 round chocolate wafer cookies
2/3 cup mini-marshmallows

Recipe Preparation

1. Line a 13 x 9-in. baking pan with nonstick foil, leaving about 2 in. overhang on two sides. Prepare brownie mix as box directs. Spread into prepared pan and bake 18 to 20 minutes until set. Cool in pan 30 minutes, then refrigerate until cold.

2. Holding foil by ends, lift brownies from pan; cut 10 circles with a 2 1/2-in. cookie or biscuit cutter. Place on baking sheet and freeze.
3. Cut away carton from one pint of ice cream; cut crosswise into 5 slices. Using same cookie cutter, cut a circle from each slice. Place an ice cream circle on top of each brownie; return to freezer. Repeat with remaining pint of ice cream to form stacks; freeze.
4. Heat broiler. Place cookies on baking sheet. Top each with 1 Tbsp mini-marshmallows. Broil about 1 minute or until marshmallows brown; let cool.
5. To serve, put a marshmallow-topped cookie on top of each ice cream stack and serve immediately.
Tip: Can be made through Step 3 and kept in an airtight container in freezer for up to 1 week.


P.S. I just found this recipe from an image on Pinterest.  What the heck is Pinterest?  I am seeing it all over blogs, lately, and I feel like I missed the boat.  I don't even get what it is when I visit the site.  Feel free to fill me in, please!? 

Our New Bundle of Joy!

We are so excited to be able to say that our sweet Emery Cloe is finally here!  She was born on Tuesday, May 17 at 4:01 p.m.  She is a tiny little one, weighing in at a mere 5 lbs. 11 oz. and measuring 17.5 inches long.  I really can't say I have ever held a baby as fragile and precious as her!  Oh, I just can't get enough of her!

 Dad + Emery

 Dad + Olivia + Emery

 Emery Cloe

Mom + Emery + Olivia

Emery was born three weeks and two days early.  Her early delivery was so unexpected--just Monday, I explained to my mom that I thought I would go full term because of my lack of steady contractions.  Isn't it amazing how much things can change in such a short amount of time?

We are so blessed that she is here with us now and that she is a happy, healthy girl!  We had a doctor's appointment, yesterday, and she is already back up to her birth weight + half an ounce!  The doctor says that she is quite a fighter, and warned us to watch out when she turns about fifteen!

More Pictures Of Livie

I just can't help myself.  I have to post these last few pictures of Olivia that I got today.  I am dying over here at how much these pictures capture her personality.

 This has to be my favorite picture of all time. 

 May I add that she is only a dare devil when she is on top 

of benches and chairs..other than that, she is scared to death of anything that

is lifted more than half an inch off the ground.

 Big Cheeser - Can't tell you how much I get this look

everyday.

I can't thank Alyssa from Alyssa Vincent Photography enough for taking these amazing photos of Olivia.  She is one of the most talented photographers and lovely people I have ever met.

Our Little Beauty

I am so excited to share pictures from Olivia's photo shoot we did on Friday.  The pictures turned out so lovely.  I really couldn't be happier!

This was Olivia's little spring outfit she got for Valentines' Day.

This pictures completely captures Olivia's personality at

fifteen months.  

 I brought one of Olivia's hot air balloons that hangs

above her crib in her nursery.  That personal touch

ended up being WAY cuter than anticipated.