Best of 2010: Emma

photo by Dejah Morris

* Not getting sick when everyone else seemed to be.

* Going to the temple to do baptisms for the first time.

* Going to Disneyland with Caitlyn.

* Strengthening my relationships with my friends.

Have Emma. Will Wrap.

Don't have time to wrap your own presents?

Need a gift wrapped before it comes home from the store?

Don't want to pay for the extra bag and bow at the store?

Emma's Gift Wrapping Factory!

Small Presents=50 cents

Medium Presents = $1.00

Large Presents=$1.50

You define whether the gift is small, medium or large

LOCAL pick up and delivery available

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Leave a comment with your email address and we'll make arrangements

(unless you have our number then just call us)

Happy Holidays!

Change of Heart

Years ago my husband made me a promise: He would be moving out by the time our sweet little Emma became a teenager.



2002 making Dedan's 1st birthday cupcakes



2003 Ponto Beach



Teenage years filled with emotional girly drama terrified him. He didn't want any part of it. As the years have passed he has stuck to his guns. Last year on her 12th birthday Emma pointed out that he only had a year left with us. He agreed with more enthusiasm than she expected.

Alas, November 19th, 2010 has come and gone. Harland is still here. Perhaps he saw this beautiful young lady that Heavenly Father graced our family with and realized he could handle anything she is going to bring on. He'll probably even enjoy her teenage years...not that he'll admit it.

Emma's post birthday self portrait

...or maybe he changed his mind a few months ago when I told him if he was leaving he'd be taking the boys with him. Either way, I'm glad he stayed. Life's better with him around.

Happy birthday to my favorite teenager!

Cat Burglar...?

On a recent afternoon, I locked some children out of my house. Believe me they deserved it. 

Wicked older children decided to get the younger child with the smaller arm to try to unlock the door...as if he didn't already find the mail slot useful.

7th grade - check!

Ok, so the year isn't over, but this week Emma and one of her besties, Amber, got inducted into California Junior Scholarship Federation for their hard work, good grades, and time spent volunteering. Aren't they lovely?

That and her progress report was stellar and there are only 3ish weeks left of the school year and she was doing a big ole happy dance yesterday as she informed me that her math teacher is recommending her for honors math next year. She happy danced over math.

I am not going to be so lucky with my boys, am I?

Cute to the power of 3

So what if I'm a little prejudiced being their mother and all. You cannot argue with this picture from last August. The dentist's office took it when they were all cavity free. We got to take the picture home this time...and we're still cavity free! Woohooo!

THE BIG NEWS

It's not that these lovely Beehives welcomed Emma by "heart attacking" our house the night before her birthday, or that she was so delighted (that was a given);

It's not that Emma got to be with her very best friend, Caitlyn, exactly where she wanted to be at her actual birth time on her actual birthday: Pirates of the Carribbean;

It's not that there are reindeer at Disneyland (who knew?!);

It's not that Nash is already shaving (I love bathtub pictures);

It's not that we let Emma have 3 friends stay over Friday, so we could go to the earliest Saturday showing of New Moon OR that Dedan likes to act like a vampire OR that we loved the movie and all agreed it was better than Twilight;

It was something we discovered at the theater though: There is a movie coming out (The Lightening Thief) and one of the main characters has my name! Well, it is a great name.

Why is this so hard for me?

Emma, my baby girl, turns 12 on Thursday. The Primary sang a birthday song to her yesterday in church. I started crying. I felt like an idiot for crying but I couldn't stop...until Dedan came over to me crying. Poor kid got my crybaby gene.

"I never cried for my sister's birthday before, Mom. I'm just so sad that she's leaving."

"She still lives with us, babe. She's just going to Young Women instead of Primary."

"I know! But I'm so sad. I will miss her in this class."

Me, too, baby. Me, too.

Tween milestone, part two

It's possible that in my first year of junior high I wasn't very confident and my base of friends was quite limited. It's also possible that the D.J. at our first dance was my gym teacher. The combination of these things would explain the lameness of my experience.

As soon as the girls got in the car they were raving about the dance, "IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!" Apparently they had not only a D.J. with excellent music but also some inflatable activity dealios. They danced. They sang. They jumped. They hurdled inflatable obstacles. They ate Skittles. They claim they didn't find any new cute boys (hmmmm). And they didn't even have ugly boys ask them to dance.

How could they not have fun? Yes, I might be a little jealous.

Tween milestone, part one

I remember my first junior high dance. It was right after school - like put your stuff in your locker and go to the gym. I think it cost $2. That's about all I remember. That and...it was lame.

Perhaps, this is why I was ok with Emma going to her first dance. Her first dance. I swear it was five seconds ago that I got her all dressed up in a cute little denim dress for her first day in the nursery. I picked Emma and her friend, Amber, up from school so they'd have less time on the bus and more time to primp. They primped...a little. We stopped at Albertsons so they could buy a treat and headed up the hill.

I turned the volume down on Taylor Swift and asked the girls the most important question they needed to consider as they entered their first dance. "What do you say when someone you don't know asks you to dance?" I wanted to say "someone ugly" but I figured that answer'd be an automatic: NO!

Luckily, Amber is the right kind of influence on Emma. They both hesitated a little and then Amber said, "Say yes?"

The conversation ensued and we discussed that always say: Yes. It's important to kind to everyone even at a dance. We can say, "Is it ok if my friend dances with us?" if we're uncomfortable. Or if they're "bumping and grinding" (the girls words, not mine - ack!) we can politely excuse ourselves.

The next question, "What if they ask you to go behind the building over there and make out?" was answered quickly with a loud and resounding: NO!!! Thank heavens.

I'm picking them up in half an hour...

Watch out junior high...

...here comes Emma.

A few weeks ago she graduated from elementary school. All the grandparents were here to witness the big day.

Har got to wear the shirt he made the day she was born. Notice her little tiny footprints on the shirt pocket. Oy. 11 years flys by when you're a parent.

Words I loved to hear...

Yesterday I took Emma to her soon-to-be junior high so she could try out for Advanced Choir. We were the last ones in the room which suited Emma just fine. She didn't want to try out in front of the other kids. Then the kind teacher (who Emma and I both thought was very cool) told the kids they can request a private try out and the rest of us would get kicked out to the lunch tables. The very next kid stood up and asked her mom to leave, but the rest of us could stay. Of the other 4 who tried out, two did asked their mom to leave.

Emma had a great try out. The teacher even said something about the things Emma can learn if she stays with her all 6 years (jr & high school - just one more reason Emma can't wait to be a 7th grader).

At home she was telling Dad & Grandma about her experience. She pointed out the two kids who asked their mom to leave, and then said, "...which I don't understand, because my mom is my support!"

Great Mom moment.

Easter was full of all the usual: community egg hunt, new Easter dress, waiting at the top of the stairs, goodies, egg decorating, brunch at home, church, more egg hunting & turkey dinner at Grandpa's.

Emma got a "Twilight" pedicure - her dad's idea. Black toes with a little red apple. Yes, we're pop culture freaks.

Monday's Monsoon

Yes, we were supposed to be packing while Rachel was here to help, but who can resist dancing around in a major rainstorm? NOT US!

Nash the toddler

Check out Nash cruising the hallway. He's 13 months and walking like....a gorilla...no frankenstein. Whatever. He's cute!