the magic 23

i feel like all we do is post about emma. let's face it... that's all people want anyways. but i think i'm going to start using our blog for journaling as well! don't feel like you have to comment!

so i'm only going to be 23 til friday, so i had better write this quick! ammon always said that 23 was going to be a big year for him. he was 23 when we met and fell in love and got engaged (but he turned 24 a couple months before we got married). i didn't really realize that 23 was a big year for me as well... we were blessed with our little emma-bean. she turns 6 months tomorrow, and i know every mom says this... but holy crap she's gotten so big so fast! we were working on her crawling today and saying "da da" and holding her own sippy cup and being such a big girl! i was just looking at pics of her from when she was born. she has changed so much! i'm still glad that she lets me cherish the snuggling before bedtime. that's my favorite time of day! i love listening to her heartbeat, breathing, and singing. i love her smell and facial expressions. i love singing to her and tucking her in bed. she's just my little sweet things!

yesterday as church ammon and i watched a 9-month pregnant girl (woman i guess) walk past us and sit a few rows in front of us. i turned to ammon with a disgusted "never again" look on my face, to which he smiled and was relieved. and i honestly think that if (when i guess) we ever do have another one, the only thing that will get me through that part of the pregnancy and delivery is that you get a perfect little baby out of it. i'm guessing that's what the Lord intended.

i hope you all have/had as great of a time as ammon and i had at being 23. that was the most awkwardly-worded sentence, but you get the picture! basically what i'm saying is... here's to being 23!

Emma LOVES Santa!

Emma and I went to my parents' ward Christmas party while Ammon was studying for finals. The theme was Polar Express, so Santa came at the end, of course! Emma was in her jammies and got her first gift of Christmas (cute little bell that she's in love with). I put her on Santa's lap and she started playing with his beard. I tried to get her attention to look at the camera. It's like pulling teeth to get Emma to smile for a picture. She ignored me at first, and then she just suddenly looked over with this smile! She LOVES Santa!

These pictures were scanned from ones that were given to my parents. Hopefully we can get a better quality one for her memory book! :)

Skanksgiving

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving at my (Jes) parents' house. Even though we live about 20 min away, we decided to spend the nights there so we could have the real experience of a holiday. We are poor law school students, so any form of vacation is much appreciated! :)

Food was amazing (thanks to my mom and Jen). I contributed incredibly delicious gourmet jello that my mom gave me the recipe for and watched me make it so I wouldn't burn the house down in the process. I hate cooking for several reasons. One MORE reason was that when they say things like "chop" in a recipe... they don't specify the size. They need to be specific for people with analytical brains. i.e... "use an apple slicer from pampered chef to slice the apple, then chop each slice in conic sections making roughly 1/2 inch cubed pieces. it doesn't matter if the skin is in each piece, or if it is in any piece at all." That gives you a rough idea of what goes through my head when I cook.

Other than the feast, we also enjoyed Madi's show choir performances at the Phoenix Zoo Lights, and the Foothills Festival of Lights. She's the cutest 2nd alto ever! "RUDY... the red-nosed reindeer!"... "EMMA... the red-haired baby!"

Christmas at my parents' house is not complete without a little house with their amazing decorations. My mom goes completely overboard... but it makes the holiday so much more fun! The house is adorned inside and out. Complete with a light show to music in the backyard. Emma is a big fan of lights! She LOVED the Zoo Lights and the lights at the Mesa Temple. It's so fun to watch her get so excited. So sweet! Picture below is of the temples lights... not my parents' house! :) jk

Holidays also aren't complete at our house without an annual trip to the Phoenix Roadrunners hockey game (minor league). The game was awesome! We lost terribly, but there was a fight, our family was welcomed on the big screen, and I was chosen randomly to get a beautiful dozen rose bouquet. I have never won anything in my entire (almost) 24-year existence. I was completely oblivious to the fact that the Roadrunner mascot was walking down delivering flowers to Section 113 Row 9 until he was standing in front of me with a gorgeous bouquet offering it to me. I asked him what this was for, and the "cheerleaders" told me that they were for me. I looked at Ammon and he gave me a look of "who the crap is giving you flowers?". He was no help. I looked like an idiot as I took the flowers and waved to the camera like a pageant princess. Madi was just excited that our family was FINALLY on the big screen. :) This was obviously just an advertisement for a local flower shop, but THANK YOU Phoenix Flower Shops... you made my night!!

We also had a family photo shoot for our Christmas cards. We can't decide which one to pick, but here's a preview. Emma is wearing her gorgeous Christmas dress... thanks Grandma Brown!

Autumn Scenes

On Sunday, we took Emma for a walk in search of some fall leaves. Not an easy task when everything is evergreen (See "This is why we live in Arizona" supra). About a mile out, we found this spot by the roadside--a grassy knoll with a handful of dead leaves.

Sunday stroll in the stroller.

Autumn shots: no red leaves, no frozen grass. Just some shadowed lawns, some waving palms.

Last week, Mom came down to visit Emma-bean. What a joy that was. Never once did she complain about babysitting:) Thanks Mom.

During her stay, we packed up the car and drove the entire two blocks to the wildlife preserve. I guess a preserve is like a reserve. It's a beautiful park, equipped for fishing and birdwatching. And now that it's cooler, there's actually wildlife there.

Emma watching the duckies.

Mom and Jes blazing their way back to civilization. Off-road strolling.

A belated Halloween pic. Little Bo Peep and her sheep (lamb).