August 2011

Emily is 11 years old!  With advanced age, comes attitude, and the need to ruin every picture I try to take of her.  Most pictures turn out like this one below.

At least after she ruins a few shots, she lets me have a smile at the end.  Emily got the first birthday "cake" of the year.  Morning sickness has eased up for me, and  Emily was able to enjoy her favorite ice cream cake.

Why is she smiling?  Emily got the one present she has been asking for!  She wanted a picture of EVERY SINGLE TEMPLE.  Her aunt Michele printed them for her, along with stickers containing all of the names.

All Emily had to do was cut them up, and match stickers to temples - all 130 or so of them.  SHE LOVED IT!

How about our annual day in the mountains?
Yes we made time to climb rocks...

Roast Hot dogs - Emily is proudly displaying the stick she whittled herself.

Smores...

And of course, playing by the river! ...

...which always includes a bit of "erosion" thanks to handfuls of rocks the kids chuck into the water.

They even get in the river.

Miriam tries to give her mother (that's me -5 months pregnant) a wet hug...

and wins.

by the way, we found out that baby number 6 is a little girl!