Visiting Downtown

I've always hoped that someday I could do a photo shoot downtown.  One of my friends called an asked if we could do something downtown.  I'm so excited!  We took a drive to scout out a location.  We had a fun time hanging out together and just wandering around downtown.  There's something about the old buildings that makes me happy.  We were just messing around but here's a few photos we took while we were there.  Paul humored me and was my model.  

I like him....green shoes and all.:)

Wish me luck.  We'll be doing the shoot this weekend.  I'm so excited!

Roughing It

We had plans to go camping, do some star gazing, and eat smores.  I guess coming from Utah where you can camp pretty much anywhere I expected to be able to get a campsite a couple days in advance. 

Apparently you have to book and pay for these campsites well in advance.  Rookie mistake.  So we decided that we would do a camping preview in our living room.  Audrey was so excited about sleeping in a tent.  She couldn't contain the excitement.  She was jumping around and screaming.  Apparently camping is the best thing ever, even if it's only in our living room.  She fell asleep to the light of our fireplace and slept well into the morning.  

Maybe in a couple of weeks we will make it to and actual campground.  Hopefully it won't be too cold.  In the mean time we really enjoyed the preview.  

Pizza Friday

I'm kind of obsessed with Italian pizza right now.  There's an Italian restaurant downtown that I love.  I had a pizza there that I dream about.  I'm working toward making the perfect Italian pizza.  It's a working progress.  This one was pretty delicious.  

Yes, I dared make crust by hand this time.  I don't think there is a real difference other than the workout your arms get.  That said, I'm ready to make pizzas during the zombie apocalypse when all electronics will be rendered useless.  We'll be living it up over here.

Audrey loves to cook with me so thanks to my sister we have started cookie Wednesday, and now we have Pizza Friday.  Audrey helps me through the whole process, and she usually requires that she wears her apron.  I love that this is our time, and we get to spend it doing something we both love.  

People of the World

People of the World I would like to welcome you.  I've noticed recently that there are people from other countries visiting my blog.  If you are here and I don't know you, feel free to introduce yourself in the comments below.  We should be internet friends...or maybe pen pals. After all, you probably know a lot about me.  I appreciate anyone who is willing to venture into my life and read what I write and stick around.

Sincerly, Your Internet Friend

Emily

Welcome to the Neighborhood

I have fallen in love with where we live.  There are so many parks here that we literally go to a different one every week.  This particular one is our favorite.  It's the biggest park I have ever seen. There are probably 10 sections. Some for younger kids and some for older kids.  We could spend the entire day here, but I usually get tired after a few hours.  

Last week we went with friends.  We were meeting at the park to take their family photos and while we waited I took a load of pictures of Audrey,  

I only wish that I had someone else there that could take pictures of us together.  She will someday be grateful for my thorough documentation of her life. :)  Hopeful someday soon she'll get a buddy and I can document their sweet relationship as siblings.  She was telling me the other day all the things she was going to do to help me when her baby arrives.  Part of me thinks that when it happens it's going to rock her world, and the other part of me thinks that she is just going to be so happy to finally be a big sister.  She's going to be a second Mom to be sure.  

My favorite part about these pictures is the necklace Audrey is wearing.  She asks me every morning to wear my young women medallion ( Something young women in our church can earn by doing projects that are centered around values like: charity, faith virtue, knowledge, and integrity.).  I can't say no.  It makes her so happy and it makes me happy to see it on her.  

Halloween

It rained all night.  Audrey was so scared she ended up in our bedroom.  Let's just say there wasn't much sleeping going on between Paul's insomnia and Audrey's screaming.  

I was surprised to see that it continued to rain through the morning and into the afternoon.  In the morning our street looked like this (below).  It was even higher, but we didn't go out until the rain let up a little.  The kids in the neighborhood were having a blast.  I was wishing that we were cool enough to own a knee board.  

Audrey wanted to be in her costume first thing in the morning.  She wasn't going to waste any time.  She was supposed to be Rapunzel, but she changed her mind last minute an opted for her go to princess.  I couldn't argue.  She was so excited to get Cinderella hair.   She enjoyed splashing in puddles despite the dress.  How could I say no, it's not very often that you have a lake in your street.  

 After the water disappeared and Paul had worked on his car we decided to break out the bikes.  I'm determined to get Audrey to ride a bike.  I've seen kids zooming down the street on those strider bikes. We already had two bikes Audrey's size (long story) and I didn't want a third.  So I asked Paul to take the peddles and chain off of one of them so that Audrey could have a try at a strider bike.  She wasn't super comfortable at first but she gets better every day.  Paul got out on his BMX bike and was doing tricks.  Audrey saw all the excitement, so now she pretends to do tricks more than she tries to ride her bike.  She loves her Dad and wants to do everything he does.  Maybe someday she too will be riding BMX bikes.  I wouldn't put it past her.     

 In the evening we got her re-dressed and got the house ready for trick-or-treaters.  Next year I have big plans.  I love Halloween and I think the best part is scaring kids. Next year I'm going to be scary, this year I felt like I was so busy that I didn't have time to get everything I wanted.   

This year we had a strobe light and scary music and a Mr. Paul to answer the door.  I took Audrey around to the houses on our street.  She literally got a handful at every door.  Her bucket was full after one street.  I had to carry it home for her.  This Halloween was really one of the best ones.  We had such a good day.  The only down side was the mix of the time change and all the candy.  It should be illegal to have both exist in the same night.