The North Pole Express....

Last week we had the opportunity to go on The North Pole Express! We invited Nana and Pop Pop's to come with us as well!

Emmy got to wear her pj's - I was only slightly jealous.

With Nana and Pop Pop's

Mrs. Claus and Emmy

Yummmy Hot Chocolate!

Emmy dutifully held up her sign while we sang "The 12 Days of Christmas". We sang it over and over and over.....lucky us...

They have someone come take your photo and then of course they try to get you to buy it. Well, I was too cheap to buy it. So I took a picture of it. Sneaky and cheap, I know....

meeting Santa. He gave her a little spinning top. She asked for a baby with a hat and a princess with a bow. That's my girl - always remember those accessories!

It was a magical evening! I believe Santa!!!!

Practically Famous...

On Saturday night, we went to the Christmas tree lighting at the Gateway Mall. Peter Breinholt was doing a mini concert, Santa would be there, and there was free hot chocolate. Oh and cookies!

Unfortunately it was dumping rain the entire night. I can handle snow but this was freezing cold rain. We were drenched. We kept begging Em to go home but she wasn't phased by the rain at all. So Jeremy and I put on our "parents of the year" attitudes and sucked it up. Turned out to be a really fun night as well as freaking cold!!!!!

The Deseret News and KSL were both there and caught Emmy cheering and dancing.
Below are 2 pics that were in the newspaper.
In the first one, Jeremy is having a Mike Wazowskie moment. Remember in Monsters, Inc where Mike's picture keeps getting taken for magazines, etc but something is always covering part of him up? Well, that was Jeremy on Saturday night....

Loving the rain on her face

Dancing in the Rain

In awe of the lights

That'll do pig....

I happen to be a huge fan of the movie "Babe."
A cute talking pig and a farmer who does a jig.
A perfect combo.

On Saturday we decided to go to Soldier Hollow for the Sheepdog Festival.
Unfortunately no farmers doing the jig and no pigs in sight.
Just actual sheepdogs herding sheep.
Bummer.

It was interesting to watch and Emmy cheered on the dogs. She was convinced the dogs were saving the sheep from the Monsters, or the Farmer, or whoever else they needed saving from.

I have no pictures from the actual sheepherding. No farmers doing jigs = no photo ops.

So we'll just settle with these two.
Em and Jeremy at the Bow Wow Luau Dog show.
Emmy was more than thrilled that one of the dogs was also named Emmy. I think I might be deaf still because she cheered so loud.

Us city girls can't be trusted to milk a real cow.

The Splash Dogs Competition. Jeremy took this picture and he was very proud of it. So because I love my husband and encourage him whenever possible, I promised to put his photo on the blog. Good job honey. Good job doggie.

Hottest day ever.

So once upon a time, when I was a little girl, my mom used to rent videos called Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop. She was a ventriliquist with a puppet named Lamb Chop. I loved Lamb Chop with all of my 7 year old heart. I even had a stuffed Lamb Chop of my own.

I was pretty excited, almost completely giddy, when I heard that Shari's daughter was going to be performing with Lamb Chop at the Sheepdog Festival. And even though I sound like a dork, I couldn't stop smiling through the entire cheesy show. I just love that little lamb.
Emmy loved her too. So much so in fact that she wouldn't allow me to have my picture taken with Lamb Chop. She had to do it "all by myself."
So while I didn't get to be in the picture, it was just as cool for Emmy and Jeremy to meet a childhood icon of mine. And yes, I realize that most of you reading this are going "Who the heck is Lamb Chop??????"

4th of July fun!

We loved celebrating the 4th of July this year! It seemed like a never ending party! Perhaps because we celebrated on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of July this year. I think it should be a 3 day celebration every year!

Emmy showing her patriotic side

Being Cheesy for the camera

On the 3rd we had a huge family party at our house. We did the traditional water fight and games and then a bbq in the evening.

Watching the fireworks in the evening. Emmy spent most of the show with a blanket over her ears. She loved all the sparkles though!

Some of these are out of order - this was her 4th of July outfit for this year. She looked very patriotic at church!

On Monday morning we woke up bright and early to see the hot air balloons inflate and take off. It is really hard to get out of bed so early but well worth it...
Apparently Emmy is thinking that her parents are insane in this picture...

it's worth it now though!

After the balloons we decided last minute to go to the Provo parade. We felt a little guilty because a lot of people sleep out the night before to get good seats but we got there an hour before the parade and got amazing seats! During the parade, some people from a Karate school were letting people chop wood in half. Emmy was very proud of herself!

Ending our fabulous weekend with snow cones

Happy Birth Mother's Day!

Today is Birth Mother's Day.
We were so grateful we had the chance to celebrate some amazing women today
by attending a "Celebrate Adoption" party in Provo.

They had an ambulance and fire truck there for the kids to climb in.

Even Cosmo knows how special birth mom's are!

They had signs for all of us to wear and we wrote who we were celebrating.

Emmy was celebrating her birth mom.
{yes, her parents had a bit of trouble with the tape}

Together Emmy and I celebrated our favorite birth mom's.

Playing parachute games.

A couple of dad's launched candy with a water balloon launcher.
The kids were in heaven of course.

My favorite part of the morning.
They had a race. It was divided into age groups.
This is the 2-3 year old race.
And Cosmo.

Here they are getting in starting position (as well as any 2-3 year old does)

And they ran....
The problem was that they didn't stop....

They just kept on running.
Cosmo finally gave up trying to chase them down.

We're thinking that Em is more a long distance runner than a sprinter.

We're so grateful for the amazing birth mom's that we know and glad you have a special day where we get to honor you!

As Emmy would say....

"I love you both tooooo much so much!"

Girl time!

Wrapped up in our comfy robes at the hotel.
Emmy thought we were very fancy!
I have to agree.

The best part...

We got up super early on Saturday morning of our mini-vacation to go cheer on a friend.
She was running in the Salt Lake City Marathon.
She's my hero.

Here's Em and Jeremy with their sign. Emmy was screaming "Go Brooklyn" so LOUD!

We met our friend Amy at the race.
She made a cool sign.
Amy, you "roc"

Emmy with Brooklyn.
Emmy just pointed to the picture and said "That's my best friend."
We love ya Brooklyn! Great job!

What you do part 2....

If you're us, you get dressed up and go to dinner.
We chose to eat where we could overlook the temple - The Garden Restaurant at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.
Delicious food, gorgeous scenery, and seated next to us were girls in Prom dresses.
Emmy was in heaven.
"This is so too fancy Mama!"