So Creative!

Emma makes us laugh all the time!  She often has nobody else her age to play with and thus, she has a great imagination.  This particular day she dressed herself, did her own hair and created her own backpack out of a swimming suit to hold her football. 

 On this particular day, I guess she just felt like watching TV from a different angle or a higher view. 

Puzzle Mania! ~ September 2011

Emma has discovered puzzles.  She loves to go to the library because in the kid room they have tons of wooden puzzles and she'll sit for many minutes doing them and she can do them herself. 

Then one day it got very quiet in her room and I snuck around the corner to see what she was doing.  I was already bracing to be upset with her for something but instead found myself quietly ducking back around the corner to grab the camera. 

She was sitting on the floor of her room working so intently, patiently,

quietly, softly,etc.  I started video taping her and then snuck back out before she caught me so that she would finish her puzzle.  She did and came out with the biggest grin on her face and said, "Mom! Come see!"  She was then happy to pose with her finished 25 piece puzzle.  She has since moved on to 50 and 100 piece puzzles, all by herself.  The hard part is that I'll think she's gone to bed but I'll find her in the corner of her room doing a puzzle.  Now, how can I fault her when I am a crazy, puzzle nut myself and totally understand the drive to put just one more piece in!

**The middle picture is of her "angry eyes."  No, she's not angry but she'll often ask, "Do you wanna see my angry eyes?" 

We now bring a 100 piece puzzle to church and she sits quietly the entire 2nd half of sacrament meeting!  (She already sits and reads books for the first half)  Agghh. We now get to hear the speakers again. 

Emma's First Swimming Lessons ~ July 2011 (3 years old)

We were finally able to get Emma into swimming lessons.  Last year Cale and Emma were going to do the "Mom and Tot"..."Dad and Tot" in their case...but Kinzie passed away a couple weeks before and then we spent the rest of the month in Texas.  We were really sad she missed the lessons then and really excited that she was now old enough to go by herself. 

 She loved her lessons and her teachers but the first day she barely got in just in time for the lesson to be over and had to get out.  She has always loved the tub and water.  When she was 16 months we took her swimming while at a hotel and we could barely hold on to her because she wanted to jump in or be thrown in and splash all around.  Guess we didn't go enough between 16 months and 3 years.  Each day got better and better though.  We even went a couple of times at night with her to the public swim so that she could get more used to it and it did help.  Gradually she would rely on her floaty vest and let go of her death grip on us.   

She loved her little corner of the pool by the stairs where she could hold on and play around. By the end of the two weeks she was able to climb the stairs herself and then get back into the pool their at the corner quite quickly...which resulted in getting in trouble since the kids are supposed to stay on the wall.

At the end of every lesson they get to line up and then jump into the pool one at a time, twice.  Emma did her best jump the first time and must have not liked it because after that she would sit down and then dive off the ledge.  We tried and tried but when my little girl decides she is afraid, she doesn't change her mind!

"Duh-ta!" 

She was very excited to get her certificate at the end and her sucker! Good job Emma!  We're proud of you!



Allen Family Renuion in Greer ~ July 2011



Cale's family decided to get together this year for a family reunion in Greer.  It was a beautiful week and it rained everyday!  Not just small storms that make it miserable but great big thunder storms with down pours of rain.  It was typically hot in the mornings and we spent the time cooling off in the hot tub, feeding the ducks or kayaking.  But almost on cue, the rains would come in the afternoon.  It was nice and cool compared to home and so beautiful.  We had a great time visiting with family and getting away from the our busy schedules ...well, except for me who had to bring work with me as BYU Idaho was not on break...but I still found plenty of time for relaxing.



Feeding the Greer Ducks!

One of our past-times was feeding the ducks.  Emma loved this 'game.' The ducks definitely knew the drill and immediately surrounded us before we even threw the first piece of bread.  All of our old and left-over bread became food for the ducks. 

(Notice: At 3 years 4 months Emma comes up to her dad's waist.)



Kayaking in Greer

Kayaking quickly became Cale and Emma's favorite past-time.  Although Emma only got in with Cale once and after that was too scared.  She'd rather play in the kayaks on the ground.  She did love to sit wit mom on the dock and dip her feet in.  We watched the fish swim around our feet and the otter go in and out of the burrow. 

 
 The life vest was a little large but she wouldn't take it off for anything!

Emma loved to explore the area and the water!

These two pictures show the Lodge that burned down

two weeks before the largest Forest Fire in Arizona...ironically by arson, and the blackened tree line from the Forest Fire that burned over 500,00 acres. 

(This is really more of an audio file as the shutter didn't open all the way and I didn't catch it.)

July 4, 2011 ~ Eager

Kinzie passed away on the 3rd of July, 2010 in our home although the time of death was actually 45 minutes later at the hospital.  It took 20 minutes to navigate the parade route of the Show Low parade that had just began.  That same night we watched the firework show in Taylor; we did it for Emma and to avoid our empty home full of Kinzie's posessions.  It was probably the best thing we could have done as it forced us to continue on that same day.  It was with the same thoughts that we contemplated this 4th of July.  I think it fair to say I will never fully love the celebrations again but for my family we carry on...with Kinzie in our hearts and on our minds always.

We chose to join Cale's family in Greer for a small reunion.  The parade was held a few miles away in Eager and it was a big one!  Emma claims "It was the best parade ever."

Chris' girlfrieind Stephanie joined us and it was so nice to meet her!  Emma and her became great friends.

Waiting for the parade...and it was hot!  Over 100 degrees and not a cloud in sight!

Emma often grabs one piece and then is happy with it.  We have to send her back out at least a couple times to get some for mom and dad!

My best little bud!

"The best parade ever!"  ... at least until the next one! 

Some Favorite Moments!

"Like Mother, Like Daughter" - I have been known to sleep like this also and this is how I found her one night when I checked on her before going to bed.  This is becoming a favorite ritual as she does so many cute things at this hour.

On one of our drives to get Emma to sleep she took her baby and put her to sleep before falling to sleep herself. 

Again, when checking on my sleeping Emma, I found she had tucked her baby in too! 

One of my favorite moments is to watch my little girl with her Daddy! She loves her Daddy and their time together, whether reading a book or drinking chocolate milk and eating cookies at the grocery store cafe. 

The Moments That I Cherish as a Mom!

Sometimes, OK, oftentimes, I feel ready to go crazy if I hear one more whine or have to clean up one more spill but then my little girl will do something or say something or hug and kiss me and it just makes it all worth it.  Here is one such moment caught on film. 

I remember this night was a hard night to get Emma to bed.  She kept coming in and out and being sent back to bed.  Finally it was quiet and we breathed a sigh of relief and relaxation.  Later that evening I checked on Emma before going to bed myself.  She had her covers up tight around her neck but I noticed a different colored shirt than what she had been put to bed with.  I pulled the cover back just a bit and realized she had changed her shirt....to a much smaller jammie shirt.  I peeked a little further and found that she had completely stripped out of her jammies and redressed herself in tights, ballet skirt, small jammie shirt...and of course the tap shoes!   I ran out of her room before I busted up laughing and grabbed Cale and the camera! 

Emma, we love you and your sweet, sweet spirit. 

(Since then, she has done this many times but always when it's quiet and we thinks she is asleep.  One time it was 77 degrees in our house and she put on long, flannel jammies.  In the morning I asked "why" and she said, "I was cold!")

Annual Go Carting!

Since moving to Arizona, one of Cale and Emma's favorite things to do is to go ride Go-Carts as soon as they open for the season.  Emma's first ride was at 18 months and then at 2 1/2.  I can't believe how big she is now at 3 1/2 years old!  (In our haste last summer, we must have missed the annual picture).

 18 months old!

3 1/2 years old!

She yells "Ca-chow" as she goes bye and often a thumbs-up! 

After riding, Cale told her "Daddy sure had fun riding go-carts with you."  Emma said, "Aghh, my pleasure." 

We love this little girl so much!

Kara Turns 30!!

May 21, 2011

I love birthdays and I don't mind getting older as long as I don't feel older and since I still feel 25 I enjoyed my 30th birthday.  Honestly, when I think of how old I am, I always imagine 25 in my head and then have to do the math and realize I'm not.  Cale on the other hand counts down the days to his birthday, knows exactly how old he is and used to love his birthdays.  30 was very difficult for him!  :-) 

Cale and Emma threw me a party complete with hats and dinner and black-cherry cheesecake for dessert!  Emma loved my 3 and 0 candles and kept saying we were both 3 since she knew that number from her birthday!  I do feel old when I realize that I am 27 years older than Emma!

I love my little girls and I love seeing the love that Emma has for me in her eyes.  For Mother's Day, she picked out two shirts.  One says "World's Best Mom" and the other "#1 Mom."  She loves when I wear them (mostly to sleep in, lol) and just loves that I'm wearing her gift! 

I love my sweet husband and how very kind and patient he is.  He is always thinking of me and willing to help out in anyway - breakfast, clean bathrooms, clean house, etc. 

Thank you all for a wonderful day!

 Cale's parents came up the next day for cake and Emma decided to play "Hair Cutter" (doing anything to hair, not just cutting it) and do her Papa David's hair!  She declared that she was making him "pretty" and "into a girl." 

(Yes, we told a little white lie in order to catch her in the process of beautifying Papa! )

Emma's Choir Concert

Emma took choir this last spring and had her concert on May 12, 2011.  This was her first time doing any type of performing and she was so excited.  She was also a little young (just over 3years old) as she had trouble sitting still and definitely didn't sing all the words.  She does know the songs very well but is often too curious about things around her to focus on the singing.  It was still very cute and we were very proud...especially when she yelled out Hi Dad! 

 This is the other pre-school age class but so cute with there dalmation ears on. 

Emma's class sang "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story and "Bare Necessities" from Jungle Book.  They had bear ears on for that one.

I tried so hard to get her to take a nap that day so she wouldn't be grumpy for the concert but it didn't happen so she was definitely a little moody and in this final song you see her rub her eyes half way through it.  She hung in there though and then luckily had a melt down later towards the end of the long concert away from the audience. 

True Story:  The people sitting behind us kept watching Emma too and laughing and we'd hear "Whose little girl is that?"  Cale and I'd look at each other and think "Do we claim her?"  Of course we did and loved every second of it! 

Happy Easter Emma

Easter was April 22, 2011.  Emma was 3 this year or 9 months if you believe the whole Leap Day thing.  We took her to the annual Easter Egg Hunt here in Snowflake.  Emma found her 1 egg and got her candy so she was happy.  She didn't quite know what to make of the Easter Bunny though. 

 This was the first year that we colored Easter Eggs.  Emma loved it and of course now refers to hard-boiled eggs as Easter eggs.  Please excuse her outfit.  She'd just gotten out of the tub and I didn't want food coloring on her jammies so we just put her apron on instead. 

 

We decided to get her an Easter dress this year and found these cute matching ones for her and her doll. She loves it. I especially love this picture becasue I have a similar one of her looking that way at Kinzie.