It's time to get dressed right

Emily doesn't play with toys very much yet. She grabs at things and shakes them if they make noise, but Daddy is trying to teach her about the world of high quality entertainment that awaits her. This little The Swedish Chef has a nose that is perfect for sucking on. Fortunately his apron keeps drool off the rest of his fancy duds. The big guy, however, is a friend and companion. Sucking on his nose would be unthinkable. Instead, Emily puts a friendly arm around his shoulder, takes his hand in hers and goes out to face the world. Maybe if I grew a wild mustache and let my eyebrows go, she'd stop slobbering on my nose too. Keep checking the blog to find out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This year we had a small gathering for Thanksgiving dinner - just me, Joseph, and Emily. Emily got to try her first solid, some rice cereal. I suppose it wasn't really solid, since it was almost as runny as milk, but it was new for her. She seemed to like it. Her only frustration was she couldn't eat as continuously as drinking milk allows her to. Eating with a spoon is so tedious!



Thanksgiving this year has helped me to recognize the many blessings that I have in my life. I'm grateful...
1. for my wonderful little family
2. for the Coopers and the Bartletts
3. that the Church is a world-wide organization
4. that Joseph is studying at the school he wanted
5. that Emily decided to start sleeping 10 hours at night time
6. that deviled eggs still work when you cut them the wrong way
7. for Texas' warm climate
8. for the extra time I have to read and sew
9. for our knowledge of the restored gospel
10. for Joseph's awesome dance moves!

Visit to Campus

Today Joseph took me and Emily to visit the University of Texas campus, where he spends his whole day every day. Em was pretty excited about this, as you can see from her face on the bus ride over. We learned today that she hates bus noises, especially that hissing sound they make when they release their air brakes. The rest of these pictures are us wandering around campus. It was a perfect day to be outside - around 80 degrees.

This was a cool fountain. Though the grounds aren't as well maintained as BYU's, UT had way bigger and way more fountains.

This is an action shot of Joseph and Em walking past a Martin Luther King Jr. statue.

This picture was taken in the University store, the Co-op. Their giant stuffed animal mascot is named Cooper.

There's no place like home

Emily's hangin' out with her dad. She's quite accessorized and not really ecstatic about that. She'd like to click those ruby slippers and visit grandma. In the mean time, she can just chill with her hands in her pockets.
Finally! Get the goop out of my hair! Why don't you guys just get me barrettes? I promise not to eat them.

My latest projects

Since I've been home from school and work, I've had a lot more time to work on other projects. So, here is what I've been doing. The pinafore still needs buttons and a couple of years before Em can wear it.



Thanks, Janet, for the sewing machine, rotary cutter, and mat!

Master Joseph

Joseph just defended his thesis today and passed! He now officially has a master of computer science degree. Hooray! Congratulations, Joseph!! Here's a picture of how happy Emily is for you.

Halloween picture

The ward party had a mini-studio setup. We just got the results. The socks in sandals were Amanda's idea.

Zzz....

Emily's new favorite position to sleep in.

She's using her hands!

Em has decided that she doesn't want to let those valuable tools we call hands go to waste after all. She picked this piece of rolled up fabric all by herself! Hooray! And yes, someone did ask me if she was a boy while she was wearing this outfit.


Sorry about the blurriness - I had the camera on the wrong setting.

A Spaghetti Bowl, Monkey Feet, and Pooping

I wasn't sure what to talk about this week, so I just pulled together a random conglomeration of pictures to talk about. This one is the view from our car on the way home from church. Isn't it amazing? So different from the route to church in Orem! I've loved this since I first saw it, I just never remembered the camera.
Little Emily isn't using her hands yet, but she's very dexterous with her feet! Here she is playing with her spiders with her feet while sitting in her pooping chair. This seat is her favorite play place and, unfortunately, her favorite place to poop.
Here is Joseph's favorite play place. His favorite pooping place is somewhere else.