The Big Apple

Eric and I spent these last 5 days in NYC on a much desired vacation. There we met up with some of our family which concluded in a FABULOUS weekend! Not only was the location ideal, but the company was....well, lets just say my uterus still hurts from excessive laughter.

The view from the apartment we stayed in....I think Eric and my brother's favorite part of the trip was throwing little parachute men out of these 80th floor windows.

Central Park

Broadway....Wicked (We've finally hopped on the wagon.)

NBA Store and a Giddy Eric

Hungarian Restaurant...(Tanner is in Budapest, Hungary so we thought we'd try some Goulash to show our love for him. mmmmmm. nummmy.)

While in FAO Schwarz, I surprisingly wished that Emmett was with us. Then we left the store.

Madison Square Park

And Labor, We Did Not

Unexpected events gave way for a surprise visit from Gammy, Pater, and Berkley this Labor Day Weekend! As predicted, Gammy and her eldest daughter centered the weekend around delicious tastes: Farmer's Markets, French Boulangerie's, Mediterranean Cafe's, Pacific North Western Bistro's and Gelateria's.

Rainy afternoons led to childhood classics such as "Back to the Future" and "Funny Girl" leaving the Hostess nostalgic for her childhood, particularly her childhood home.

Overall, the much desired visit was fabulous and left us all hungry, admittedly not for food, but for a longer, larger reunion!

p.s. If you were wondering, Emmett did finally decide to jump in the puddle.

Ready, Get Set, GO!

The Olympics have left a significant impact on the Red Crew these past few weeks. However, Emmett is the one who seems to have really caught the Beijing Olympic spirit. In fact, he seems to have lost quite a bit of sleep due to his favorite events: springboard diving and track and field. The first time we became aware of his interest began when we heard a loud pounding noise after we put Emmett to bed one evening. Obviously worried, we rushed into the room to find him jumping off the side of his bumpers and face planting into the mattress, accompanied by him yelling, "Jump in Water!"

Nemo has temporarily been replaced by the platform and springboard events.

A few days later the little man was running back and forth through the hall which isn't very unusual; what was different was the stopping, stooping, kneeling, followed by a, "Ready, Set, GO!" And off he went again running through the hall. His starting form has greatly improved thanks to the 100m and 200m events.

We are hoping that soon after the Olympics have ended his crib will turn back into a place of rest. As for now it will most likely remain a diving arena.

A Pool of One's Own

The Jones' were the most envied family in my neighborhood growing up.

They had a pool.

During the Summer months, hundreds of messages were left on their answering machine daily, mostly from Myself and my bosom buddy Emily, begging to let us come swim.

This weekend i experienced a reminiscence of that past passion for diving boards and chlorine as I swam in the pool I have been dreaming of my entire life....

My parent's built a pool in their backyard.

I'm sure you all agree that having a pool of one's own is one of the greatest gifts in life....no stranger's scabby bandaids, no sudden warm spots, no struggle in swimsuit confidence, no foreign floating objects, and no belly flop embarrasment.

Although i now feel sure pain that I wasn't born at the end of 7 children so I could experience firsthand the life of the Jones', I can now fly 800 miles and find a bliss that is rare in existence in our planet today.

p.s. my neck and back are strained (I thought I was 11 years old again and attempted to do my old tricks off the diving board.) Cruel reality has now settled.

p.p.s. I thought this pic of Uncle Daney was very characteristic of him.

Shoot it !!!

Every morning, Eric and I wake up to the sound of Emmett shrieking this: "BASKETBALL HOOP(sounds more like 'a-ket-ball') SHOOT IT!!!!!!" This is repeated over and over again until he finally is freed from his crib and let loose, heading straight for his ball and miniature plastic basketball hoop. The screaming finally finishes once he scores. Then it begins all over again when i try to set him in his chair for breakfast....and so on throughout the day. You would think leaving the house would help take his mind off "B-ball" as he frequently refers to it...nope. Any park, grocery store, neighborhood, and especially church he somehow spots the "A-KET-BALL HOOP" and wants to "SHOOT IT!" I've learned to keep a miniature basketball in the diaper bag to nourish his undeniable urge.

And so it was at Play Group Today. All other children, slides, swings, teeter toters were immediately forgotten once he saw his most beloved friend and loyal companion:

the A-KET-BALL HOOP.

P.S. Eric will not admit to anyone he's happy about Emmett's current obsession; however, I see the inevitable satisfaction and joy in Eric's eye everytime Emmett throws a tantrum before bedtime, due to the painful seperation of himself, the hoop, and the ball.

Emmett Red Bed Head

So Eric's Dad, Ed, is an engineering professor at BYU and frequently has the hair a nutty professor should have.

We call it Ed Red Bed Head.

We are crossing our fingers that Emmett inherits some of Ed's genius, not to mention his athleticism. But there is one gene that I am certain has crossed over:

His Hair.

From the rooster tail in the back to the cowlick in the front,

their hair is identical.

I think the title can now be passed down....Emmett Red Bed Head.

Spreading Cheer

These brought me happiness and I am posting them so you might also experience the goodness of this novel and this film.

p.s. thanks a mil to Stacy Runia for this book reccomendation....this novel gave me much needed mirth and sunshine during endless rainy afternoons.

Libby Lane

I'm probably the least crafty female, living and deceased; however, I married into a family who's creative wheels certainly are spinning. Eric's sis, Anne Marie Deucher, has finally allowed the world to partake of her phenomenal crib sets. I'm one of the chosen few who have received one of these prior to her online boutique...UNBELIEVABLE...That is until Emmett somehow took off his poopy diaper and smeared the poop all over the linen and cream chenille bumpers, then managed to fall back asleep with head in poop. That's pretty unbelievable as well. Good news, bumpers = washable. Anyways, she has an array of designs to choose from; there are a couple examples below. Hooray, now we can all indulge!

www.libbylanedesigns.com

Love & Marriage.

My good friend and cousin Brooke got married this weekend in Arizona.

Here is how Emmett spent her special day:

he flew.

he boogied.

he woogied.

he tired out.