Okay, we are MAJOR blog slackers. It has been one calendar month since we updated. We were indeed having some computer difficulties, as Joe has noted, but still... We are in danger of losing our handful of loyal readers. We have been chastised recently by both my dad and Shawn Stephens in our ward (hey to Shawn) for being poor updaters.

And now on to the Emma photos:


We went to the zoo with some friends a few weeks ago. It was splendid weather, Emma was quite well behaved, and I felt like I was on vacation it was so much fun. Here is Emma striking a pose in front of some feline (leopard? jaguar?)

I like this photo of the kids with their hands planted on the glass, observing the crocodiles (we saw the albino crocodile with the blue eyes -- "Ghost of the Bayou!") Maybe it was an alligator. I called it the wrong name when I was there and the zoo attendant briskly corrected me. (One has a longer, V-shaped snout; the other a shorter, square snout, but I can't remember which one's which anymore.)

We've attended a couple of U of U volleyball games recently. Kathryn Haynie, Andy's wife, is on the team and she is GOOD! We dress Emma in her red sweats, red Utah T-shirt, and white sneakers when we go. She likes to clap and cheer with the crowd. She also boldly approaches anyone close by, known or unknown to her, who has snack items. Sigh. It's kind of a problem.


Joe smoked some ribs recently. Emma's a big fan of the ribs.
We've been to the airport a couple of times lately to watch planes land. We walked along the bike path and the planes roared overhead. Emma mostly enjoyed it until a great big loud one came over and she got this expression on her face.

Today (September 25) is the Moon Festival, second biggest Chinese holiday after Chinese New Year, celebrating the autumnal equinox. We bought four moon cakes, the traditional Moon Festival delicacy, at the Melewa Bakery on 9th South to celebrate. They're filled with kind of a pasty, gelatinous something or other (sweetened bean paste I've heard). Not bad. Emma didn't partake, though.

Emma is really learning a lot of new words lately, stringing words together, chattering, humming a little (something she hasn't done much of until recently). She is a funny, energetic, happy soul. A joy. She'll be two and a half next month and it's almost a year that we've been home with her. The recent change in weather reminds me of getting ready to leave last year...such amazing memories.

Sorry about the long dry spell on the blog, but thanks for being loyal readers and checking in.