Belated Christmas Present to Us !

If you have seen our couches in the other posts, then you know we are overdue for these ! What a difference new couches make . :0)

Merry Christmas !?

Christmas this year did not quite go as planned ! Christmas Eve we spent here just our little family of four. We actually ordered some takeout and opened our one gift of whatelse ? New PJs ! Then we put the girls down as usual and popped in a the movie Church Ball ( afterall we have had it since last xmas and have not seen it). Well that lasted all of 30 minutes ( do not recommend it) and then we opted to watch the traditional christmas favorites on TV. Chevy Chases Christmas Vacation always satisfies.
Then christmas day we woke up at 8 am and began opening presents. Brooklyn was VERY excited for her new Loving Famiy doll house and all of the accesories that we added. Madison has enjoyed her TV/ DVD player and her Anatex Wire Maze that we got for her bedroom wall to add to the entertainment in her room.
Then after opening presents we were gearing to go to Nana and Papis in Irvine when we got the call. Turns out my mom , dad and sister had all gotten some form of the flu. Needless to say, we stayed home and enjoyed a low key christmas day. The girls did not seem to mind since they had their new toys to distract them.

Christmas Rush !

So today I took the girls on an outing to the mall with a mission in mind... pictures with Santa ! It is a Christmas tradition that I missed out on last year. I got the backpack ready and headed out into the madness. I was expecting the worst being so close to christmas but planned as best I could. I think someone up above felt pitty on me because I scored in every area. For starters I got a quick and convenient parking space right off the bat. I didn't even need to look for handicapped parking ! Then when we went in to get in line for pictures with Santa there was only 2 people ahead of me ! This kind of luck just does not happen to me ! Then to top it all off I had two other ladies to help me keep the kiddos happy. One of them being Madisons behavioral respite gal, Flora ( love her ) and the other being a sweet gal named Ann Jannette whom is from the respite company as well. They were my angels in the process helping me to achieve a huge goal . I even got the chance to get in a little shopping time too while the girls played in the kids play area. I just have to say I was pinching myself the whole way home. There are definately angels among us!

Happy Birthday, Lady Bug !

So Madison turned 7 today ! We still cannot believe it has been 7 years since our little Maddy Bug engulfed our lives and forever made us parents ! She has taught us invaluable lessons that only she could teach us. She has taught us about enduring faith, charity , unconditional love, service , hope , and best of all that pure joy really comes in the smallest of accomplishments ! She is an angel in so many ways. I often refer to her as my little old lady with a teenage boy appetite . ( I say this because she needs assistance in many physical ways and has a very hardy appetite). Thank goodness for her activeness that keeps her nice and thin. We love her SO MUCH and are grateful for her hardwork and determination that keeps her progressing through her challenges. We love her sweet baby laugh ( it still has a little muffle to it ), her tender touches when she wants your attention, her TV remote delivery when she wants you to change the channel or turn on something she likes, her love for school and going on the school bus, her joy in feeding herself, her love for food ( all kinds! Shes not picky ), her love for baths ( she gets really excited when they are cold ones ) her love for Disneyland and Thunder Mountain, her excitement for going to the park and her love for swings. Our lady bug has taught us to never take anything for granted ! We love you Madison, Maddie, Maddy Bug, Maa Maa, Maa Mee, Sweet Dove, Maddie Lou ( which Brooklyn chimes in to say " Its not Maddie Lou Daddy, its my sister".)

We are thankful for....

cousins close by ! For the past 4 years we have hosted Thanksgiving at our house. We love to do it to because it is so nice to have family come out our way . This year imparticular Jake took charge of the Turkey recipe. He about died when I suggested buying a turkey breast from Honey Baked Ham company. He insisted that he will never forgoe the traditional Turkey. I personally am not a huge Turkey fan. I am more into the creamed corn and Honey Ham ( Johnson Family Traditions), so those were a must ! But I have to say, in the end Jake was right. He found a fabulous recipe on all recipes website and it was SO EASY . All it required was a few large apples quartered , a whole bottle of Martinellis sparkling cider ( it called for champagne but we improvised )and a couple sticks of butter cubed. It makes for a very moist turkey. It is a keeper of a recipe.
After chowing down on good food topped off with my traditional Pumpkin Chocolate chip bars ( no pumpkin pie here - YUCK !) we took the kiddos to the park conveniently located two doors down at the end of our cul-de-sac. We had a great time chasing the kids around and enjoying some fresh fall air. It is always a good time with Monica and Joaquin around .

Birthday Boy !

So today Jake turned the big 35 ! We love you Jakers, Jakus , Da Da , Daddy, Dad , Smalls, Jacob Vaun , Leprechan, Handyman, Big Papa.... we love your humor, your patience, your hardwork, your wonderful baths complete with original Elmo artwork , your fabulous homemade salsa, your Simpson impressions, your laugh, your late night fastfood traditions, your cocoa and toast tradition, your carved pumpkins at Halloween, your personal christmas cards at christmas, your green thumb and love for scenery and the late night episodes of mountain man & mtn. Everest reality TV shows. Thanks for all of the love and memories Honey ! You enrich our lives daily ! We Love you and Happy Birthday !

Happy Birthday Lady Bird !

So Brooklyn is officially 3 ! Where have the years gone ? Today I remenisced about the day she was born... the laboring at home , the frantic car ride to the hospital an hour before she was actually born and the 48 hours I got to be with her one on one in the hospital room. I think if I could go back to one day in my life at this point , then that would be it ! It is quite possibly the best experience of my life. The delivery was an AWESOME family experience and even Madison got to participate in the fun as she sat in the stroller in the back of the delivery room ! I could go on and on about all of the wonderful details but instead I will tell you what I love most about our little Brooklyn...
She is AMAZING in everyway ! She is loving , patient and compassionate . She has exemplified these qualities to the fullest with her big sister Madison. She is everything I prayed she would be . She is the perfect fit for our famiy and we could not feel more blessed in how she is growing and the person she is becoming. She has an amazingly mature spirit for her age and we feel that that is the gift that Madison has given to her. We appreciate all that she brings to our family... the good times and the crazy times. She is a HUGE blessing from our Father in Heaven and with her we wouldn't change a thing ! We nicknamed her Lady Bird because I like to call my girls ladies for the little ladies they are and the bird was a perfect fit when we first saw her hair and it looked like a little feather flying in the wind. It always naturally fits her personality even as she grows because she is our little song bird . You name it she sings it ! We love you, our sweet bird !

What happens In Vegas ...

Stays in vegas especially when you forgot to take pictures ! So this was a MAJOR "D-OH " moment . Jake and I got away to Vegas for 3 nights which is HUGE for us being as we have not gotten away for that long by ourselves in YEARS ( I would tell you how many but I seriously cannot remember). We had an amazing time ! We stayed at the Flamingo Hotel ( because that is where the appraisal convention was being held ) and we decided right away to upgrade our room . What a difference $50 bucks a night makes ! Our room was really nice ( wish I could show you pics but forgot to take some, D-OH !) We really enjoyed the slow paced life without children and I did not feel a bit anxious about how they were being as my mother was caring for them . Thanks Mom ! We did things together we have not done in years like sleeping in ! We also went shopping at the outlet mall together which we have not REALLY done since we were engaged ( yeah seriously , nine years since we have done some nice, leisurely outlet shopping together !) We also got the chance to meet up with Jakes parents for a NICE prime rib dinner and the broadway show of Mama Mia ! It was tons of fun and so nice to see them ! Thanks Jack and Judy ! Jake went to appraisal seminars all day Tuesday and Wednesday and I just leisurely checked out the non-touristy parts of vegas. I did some early Christmas shopping and visited my good friend Marci from our newly married ward in SLC. It was so great to see her and her cute family. Wow , time flies ! Ofcourse to end our couples trip we stopped in at one of the nicer Buffets for a YUMMY farewell dinner . After all a trip to Vegas would not be complete without a stop at the buffet, right ? Anyway, lesson learned .... next time I will always keep my camera on hand ! Hopefully that next time will not be too far off .

Up in Stitches !

It was another first for us here at the Emery home. Brooklyn decided she wanted to spice things up a bit come bedtime hour. So it happened right after I had just finished bathing her. She ran downstairs sopping wet with a towel wrapped around her body. She was doing her normal naked prancing around before putting her PJs on and BAM ! She somehow fell right into the edge of the doorway that leads into our kitchen. The sharp edge hit her smack dab on the left side of her forehead. At first I just grabbed her up to comfort her thinking it was just going to be a bit black and blue the next day but to my horror I saw a big and deep gash and lots of blood ! I got a bit weazy and quick freaked to be honest , but then Jake calmed me telling me that head wounds can really bleed. No kidding ! YIKES ! Anyhow after putting the biggest bandage I had on her wound, I grabbed her favorite blanket and some fresh baked cookies ( Jake had just made them... what better way to cheer up a child ! ) and we headed for the After Hours pediatrics place. I LOVE THIS PLACE ! No more late nights at the ER !(This place is brand new, quiet and it might as well be drive through because that is how quick it is !) Once they numbed her with some cream and then a shot they started stitching. I think there was about 10 stitches total counting the ones underneathe the surface. She was SO BRAVE the whole time and the doctor and the nurse were just so in awe of her maturity and her courage. The whole time they were stitching her up she was talking to them and telling them all of the characters on Scooby Doo as well as sang them the theme song ( a few different versions !) She had them tickled to death on how expressive she was and how well she handled it . She proved to be one TOUGH cookie. She even grew proud of her wound as she would lift her bangs to show everyone . She would say..."I got stitches. I ran into the wall." It is definately going to leave a good size scar but Brooklyn has already shown that it will just add to her character !

Halloween Party 3 .. The Finale !

So Halloween Day finally came. After Brooklyn and I went to Madison's class party (unfortunately my camera died and I have no pictures to show for it ) we headed home and slowly got ready for the infamous night ! All of the weeks festivities were leading up to this one crazy night. After having done the school party which included a school parade to show off the costumes ( which unfortunately bombed for Madison this year as her black cat accessories would not stay on her :0( )and doing 2 hours of behavioral therapy at home afterward, Madison was EXHAUSTED by the end of the day and falling asleep at 6:30pm. Our plans of going out trick or treating as a family this year were once again thwarted ! Last year I had laryngitis and Madison was grumpy so daddy and Brooklyn did the hour long excursion together. So Brooklyn and I headed out this year together. I am so glad I got to go too. Brooklyn had me laughing hysterically as she would knock on doors and ask people right off the bat if they had a doggy . Then as they would respond "no" she would continue with asking them if they had a kitty . When I would finally get a word in and say "Brooklyn, what do you say to get candy" she would perk up in her cutest voice and say "Trick or Treaters"! She had them all quite taken back and we instantly made friends with neighbors we had never met before . With all of the questions she had for these new friends, it ended up taking us 2 hours to get around our whole cull-De-sac and home. By the last house she was asking me to take her home. It was a great finale for the holiday !

Halloween Fun part 2

After recovering from our adult Halloween party on the 26th, it was now time for a day full of kids Halloween fun ! Brooklyn and I headed to a little friends house on Saturday the 27th . It was a 30 minute drive out to his house in Fillmore but SO worth the trek ! They happen to live on a 7 acre orange orchard complete with its own swing set, sandbox , trampoline, petting zoo ( a chicken and some goats ) and 3 dogs. The party was a nonstop blast complete with a tractor ride through the orchard , pumpkin picking, a few different Halloween crafts and tons of kid favorite food consisting of pizza, soda , cupcakes and Halloween candy galore. And if that all was not enough they ended it with whacking 3 different pinatas full of goodies ! This Halloween party set the standard super high for years to come. Lets just say I am not going to try and top it ! I will just stick to birthday parties and our annual 4th of July party, Thank you !

With just a few hours break, we then headed to the ward Trunk or Treat ! Brooklyn enjoyed herself there as well amongst familiar friends ( mainly her best buddy Blake ) . They had a good time just doing what they often do best... chasing each other around and giggling . Such simple pleasures can be so fun to watch ! We then finally made it home at about 7:30 that night, although it felt more like midnight with being as tired as we were. Looking forward to it again next year !

Halloween Fun part 1 of 3

Well Halloween this year was our busiest one yet ( hence the 3 parts ) ! We had an adult Halloween party on Friday the 26th. It was the second annual one thrown by some friends in the ward. We were geisha warriors last year and had a good time with it. Even though we had a full year to think long and hard about it, in the end our creative juices were not working well for our budget. So 2 days before the party, we decided to be rigged refs. In case you do not quite get it, it was a mocking of the referee scandal that happened this past summer. It was a last minute switch from the original idea of him being a ref and me being a cheerleader. It worked and we had fun with it. In case you cannot see from the picture, we have goofy ref costumes on with fake hundred dollar bills coming out of our collar and sleeves. It was Jakes clever idea . We also had lots of fun seeing all of our friends ideas, enjoying a big game of Werewolf and chowing down on lots of good food . We look forward to it next year and are already thinking up ideas for our costumes.

Discovery Day 2007

A few weeks ago, Brooklyn and I spent a few hours on a Saturday going to a VERY fun event at the local college ( Moorpark College ). It happens to be conveniently located across the street from our house. It is a fundraiser for the schools Child Development Center ( where Brooklyn goes to preschool 2 days a week ). It is a day full of hands on displays for exploring , outdoor playtime and food. It is our first time going and it definately will NOT be our last ! It was fabulous ! Brooklyn and I enjoyed all of the wonderful ideas of household substances that you can make ( in place of the traditional playdough ). They had so many homemade simple ideas for indoor fun and discovery . There were also wooden mobile type toys that they could maneuver and explore. Brooklyn enjoyed dying jello, making styrofoam boats to float, bathing baby dolls and squishing oozing goo ( made with elmers glue and some other substances ) out of plastic strainers. But by far her favorite activity had to be the face painting ! She spent atleast a half an hour drawing on her face and even creating some art on her friend Carly's face as well. We will definately go again next year ! I'm not quite sure who is looking forward to it more , me or her ?!

Leapin' Lizards !

So Brooklyn was out bug hunting in our yard again the other day when we spotted a cute little lizard. My first instincts were for her not to touch it but my dear advisor ( Madisons therapist ) Tina assured me that it would not bite. So I told her to go for it ( not thinking she would actually catch it ) and sure enough it stopped stiff and let her pick him up. It was fun to watch her explore it first hand by tugging at all its body parts (thankfully in a gentle nature- all parts remained attached ). After all her curiosities with it were finally met, she sweetly let him go and off he ran into our flower pot. I assured her that she now had a pet lizard and we decided to name him Louie. I am liking the fact that we can have this array of animals that live great harmonious lives in our yard while giving us brief moments of entertainment yet we do not have to feed them or worry about whether or not they have met their demise. Unlike the 3 cats we have owned since living here. Yeah, we are SO done with cats. Who needs them anyway with a squirrel named Sammy (living in the neighbors pine tree ) a few lizards living in our flower beds, and the unfortunately animals we would rather do without.... the gophers , the cayotes and feline eating owl we have parading in the night. Then ofcourse who could forget the memory of the gopher snake we encountered a few years ago in our yard. Yep , don't care to see him again ( unless he actually gets the gopher that is currently making holes in our front yard ... then he is welcome to briefly visit !).

Belated Birthday Blog

So a few weeks ago ( Yes, I am still behind ), I turned the big 29. Unfortunately this is the last year that I can say that I am in my late 20's. Jake and I would have liked to celebrate by doing something special and more lavish but instead kept it boringly predictible this year. But who is to say that next year, being the big 3-0 cannot be exciting and lavish, right ? So anyway , we had a good night going out to one of my favorite restaraunts called Louises Trattoria . It is a nice Italian restaraunt in Westlake Village ( others around Southern California ). We had fabulous italian food and great adult conversation. I look back at the whole day and wonder if I kind of spoiled any chance for surprise being as I had already ordered my gift and Jake pretty much knew where I wanted to go for dinner. I have chose this place in the past for a few birthdays because everytime we do date nights we tend to go Mexican, Thai or a main favorite of ours... California Pizza Kitchen (CPK). So he knew right off the bat that when it is "my night" I was going to choose Italian. I am sorry but it is literally in my blood ! Oh and by the way, for those whom are interested, my present was a Hoover Steam Vac Dual V carpet cleaner. Jake was not excited about it being my birthday gift but I assured him that the convenience of clean carpets made me very happy ! He did however surprise me later with a nice decor piece for our walls but I couldn't help but return it when I could not decide where to put it. He tried, right ? I can really kick myself for being so dang particular sometimes ! Oh well, spontanaity and surprises will have to come in my 30's. Right now it is all about convenience and predictability !

Minivan Mama !

So the time has finally come. A few weeks ago ( maybe even a month now !) Jake and I took a big step and finally bought the dreaded minivan. To be perfectly honest, I have been ready for one for over a year now. But that is not to say that that was always the "PLAN". Back in August of 1998 as we were on our second or third date we were laughing about the whole minivan stage of life and both SWORE that we were never going to be minivan owners. Nope, we both agreed that we were definately more SUV type people ! We had this discussion before we even talked about getting married ( even though we both knew that there was something great happening ). We happen to be having this discussion because our dates always entailed a white Ford Astrovan Minivan that was Jakes mode of transportation at the time. He was working in Costa Mesa for Airborne Express and had been given this hideous van as a company car. It served its purpose but was definately not a "chick magnet" by any means.
So what is this fine vehicle of choice you might ask ? Well it is a brand new 2007 Slate Green ( I refer to it as Pewter Gray ) Honda Odyssey EX-L ( because we decided leather was a MUST with our kiddos !). I have been admiring them from afar and at last have one of my own. I have to say though, I thought for sure that my first drive home in it would be filled with excitement and joy , but was surprised to feel mixed emotions when actually owning one. I had this brief feeling of sorrow for the death of the "young mom " had come. But thankfully by the time I got home, I had happily embraced the "soccer mom" image . Who couldn't embrace it with all that the minivan has to offer these days. The automatic doors, the in-floor storage, the fold down seats, the built in sunshades , and all of the sudan like ammenities! The convenience and space are well worth it ! I no longer dread the thought of a family roadtrip . ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ... because we got the room !

Moorpark Funky Days !

So this weekend I decided that I would show a little Moorpark "pride" and take the girls to what is called "Moorpark Country Days". So I packed up all of the goodies that I needed for a typical outing and off the four of us went ( the fourth person being my babysitter, Vanessa , since Jake usually is working on the weekends.) I had high hopes for this so called "Country Days". I was envisioning pony rides, carnival booths, cotton candy and maybe even a little petting zoo. As well as lots of bushels of hay spread about to give it that country feel . To my dismay there were no pony rides ( although they did have a horse drawn carriage circling surrounding streets... not sure how much that would've cost though!) There were a few small vending trailers that were serving soft serve icecream and other carnival type treats . There were about 4 or 5 carnival game booths, 3 or 4 Huge bouncy houses ( that satisfied Brooklyn for a measily 7 minutes that I purchased for $2... Worth it though). There was a parade that was anything but impressive and I had to laugh at the several people that brought their beach chairs and probably came early to get a front row seat for the festive feel a parade usually creates. But overall I left ( after about 90 minutes ) feeling disappointed that the city that I have grown to love was so lowsy with their festivities. I did not feel the sense of Moorpark pride that I was expecting from those around me. I did not feel the cozy country feel that I was envisioning these past 5 years from the long time locals. I hear stories all the time about how the town started and how the roads were not even paved and the 23 freeway did not even exist until about 15 years ago. I am thinking that they are going to need to change the name in the future to avoid being misleading . The only thing I can think of that comes to mind is " Moorpark Funky Days" because that sums it all up.
So what did I get out of it all ? An hour and a half with my girls and an affirmation that next year when I want to feel the good ole down home feel of being in the Country here in Moorpark, I should just head to one of the local farms that are already set up year round with pony rides, petting zoos and home grown crops for sale. That is the genuine Country part that I love about Moorpark .

Sweet Routine

So every night, as most families probably do, we have our routine. It is pretty clock work. It goes something like this... The T.V. goes off at 5pm sharp , we eat dinner ( which usually consists of simple kid favorites like grilled cheese and tomato soup or bean and cheese quesadillas, but I am working on changing that up ). Then after dinner comes baths for both the girls ( sometimes together upon Brooklyns request) complete with hair washing ( that is another thing I am trying to start doing every other night rather than EVERY night ). Then we head downstairs for blowdrying ( I know some moms are getting exhausted just thinking about all the fuss! ) Then we clean up all of the toys for the night ( complete with singing the clean up song ofcourse :0) ). After that is complete we enjoy a small scoop of icecream , head upstairs for brushing of the sugar bugs followed by family prayer time. Then as we finish tucking Madison into bed and give her kisses goodnight comes one of the sweetest moments I hope I never forget. I turn off her lights and hear my sweet little Brooklyn say " It's Okay Maa Maa , it is not scary, we will keep you safe Maa Maa . Ni Night sister. " I cannot even tell you how much that sweet, thoughtful dialogue she has come up with warms my heart ! She is such a great protector and friend to her big sister and it is my biggest prayer that she will always be that loving and compassionate towards Madison . These are the simple moments for me that make motherhood so sweet !

Missing My Utah Hair !

So we have lived here in California for almost 5 years now and we love it ! However when you ask me what I miss about Utah , there are a few things that I can name right off the bat . Here is my list...

1) My Friends ( all of the friends I made as a newly married girl in the University 25th ward ) and the friends that I made working at Arthur Andersen L.L.P

2) Our house ! It was brand new when we bought it and moved in ! It had more square feet than our home now does. Jake and I will always tell you that we miss homes with basements ! We LOVE basements and here in CA there are NO BASEMENTS ( only attics - that are not for living just for storing ).

3) Grandma Sycamores Bread ! We have yet to find anything close here in CA. and we miss it desperately. Jake has his Cocoa and toast cravings in the winter time and Orowheat just doesn't cut it ! Those mormons sure know how to make good bread !

4) My old hairdresser , Amanda Oliver ! She was fun , sassy and did an awesome job with my hair ! Now I have to give credit to the good old Utah weather too because no fail everytime I go to Utah and take a bunch of pics. my hair always looks great ! It might be the soft water my in-laws and friends have in their taps but something great between shower and blowdry for me there in Utah ! Here is a picture from my June family vacation stop in Utah. We went to dinner with friends and my good friend Suzanna took this picture . I am so glad she did too because it happens to be one of my favorites ! I love my curly Utah hair !

( I have to say this pic does not look as good on the computer as it does printed up. I hope you get the gist of my email nonetheless !)

Already Playing Catch Up !

There are just not enough hours in my day to take on one more hobby but bear with me because I am not going to give up . The more I do it , the faster I will get at it , right ? So here is what I intended to post ( on time !) the past couple of days...

Here is Madison on her first day of "2nd Grade". As you can see she is not in the mood for a photo shoot and is just ready to go to school !

Then there is Brooklyn on her first day of preschool. She is showing us her "shy school girl " look. Although she is not smiling , she was actually really excited ! I cannot believe she is already preschool age ! The two days a week ( up to 4 hours each ) that she goes, it is wierd to have a quite, empty house again. I am already missing her ! It is so cute when she tells me what she did at school that day. She LOVES going to "stool " just like her big sister "MAA MAA" (madison ).

My family also came out our way for Labor day. They actually all came out the day before ( sunday) and we had dinner and stayed up late ! The picture shown is Brooklyn with my dad and sister Bethany ( a.k.a Aunt B ). They left the next morning and the rest of the day was low key . This picture pretty much explains how exhausted we were...

And finally this is what Brooklyn did at preschool on Friday. I thought it was such a cute idea that I had to run out to my car to get my camera. She absolutely loves helping bathe her sister Madison here at home and so you could imagine her excitement when she got to be play the little mommy and bathe this baby...


Stay tuned for more "efficient blogging from the Emerys !

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Life Story

So ever since I can remember, I have always enjoyed reading peoples license plate frames. I feel as though you can learn a lot about a person from that one simple sentence. For example, the other day I saw an older woman driving a nice new car and her license plate frame said "Star light, Star Bright, Where the heck is Mr. Right?" So I immediately realized that this middle aged woman was most likely single. That is a big part of her life, right? So anyway, as I have been pondering what my personalized license plate frame is going to say, I have come across two different ones that may explain a few things about me. The first is "The closer you get, the slower I go." That explains my pet peeve for people who ride my tail while I am driving! HUGE annoyance for me. But in the interest of keeping my family safe, I think that I will stick to my second favorite in the hope that it will excuse me in advance.... "Always Late but worth the wait" (at least I hope people feel that way). I feel that this applies well to the start of my family blog because I am well overdue on starting this and have many friends who have been doing so devotedly for the past year or so. I too have been meaning to share our daily journeys with friends and family and vow to start trying to be on time (posting that is), I hope that you will all find it well worth your wait! Thanks for visiting and come back often!

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