2nd Halloween Pics

Last Halloween MaryKate was almost 2 weeks old & looked like this:

So little & difficult to get a good picture of. She was a ballerina & a tiger.

This year she was a BYU Cheerleader & although we missed trick or treating because we were in the car driving back from California, we did go to a Church Trunk or Treat party. Here are some pictures from that.

Below is a picture of MK & Anderson(my sister's nephew). He is more than 6 months older!

And this is MK with all of Mary's & Cherice's kids (cousins & pseudo cousins). It was so fun!

Hasn't she grown so much!
This year she didn't really understand the concept of trick or treating. Next year will be the year. She just loved walking with all the kids at the party. The dum-dum she ate changed her life. I don't think 1 little sucker will be all she wants in years to come. Happy Belated Halloween!

MaryKate's 1st Birthday at the Farm

My sister, Mary's family took us to Del Osso Farms in Latherop, CA to go along with her farm themed birthday. It was crowded, but still fun & worth the drive.

MaryKate loves her Daddy.

MK & the 2 little piggies in the petting area of the farm.

This is my favorite picture! I loved how the goat & goose look like they're about to kiss her cheeks.

MK warmed up to the baby goats because they weren't as huge & frightening as the bigger ones.

This cake was made by my nephew Jordan & my niece Annika. They are "Cake Bosses"! Mary & I helped a little, but I think they did an incredible job. Thanks guys! The kids loved it.

I helped her blow out her candle on her farm cake.

She was so full after dinner that she hardly could eat her cupcake. But she loved the frosting!

We sang Old McDonald's Farm with some animal signs I made.

MaryKate loved pulling her presents out of a box. Notice her 1st piggy tail ever! It's about 1/2 inch long. But her bald head is starting to finally grow hair. Hooray!

James is interning for the next few weeks in San Mateo, California. So we've been having a blast in the bay area, staying with my sister's family. We've gone to the beach and into the city. We love San Francisco & the Lee Family.

Walking & Fair Fun Footage!

Yes! We finally have a film of MaryKate walking. She gets better everyday! So sit back & enjoy her wobbly, wide, stumbling steps.
(FYI- The video seems to work in Internet Explorer but not on my Mozilla.)

My favorite quote about first steps:
"Make up your mind to be happy- even when you don't have money, even when you don't have a clear complexion, even when you don't have the Nobel Peace Prize. Some of the happiest people I know have none of these things the world insists are necessary for satisfaction and joy. Why are they happy?... They glory in the beauty of the earth. They glory in the love of their families, the stumbling steps of a toddler, the wise and tender smile of the elderly... One thing I know for certain: the time we have here goes by far too quickly. Don't waste any more time sitting on the bench watching life pass you by. "
-Joseph B. Worthlin (May 2001, 35)

We also went to the Utah State Fair this month. Here are some of the highlights:

MaryKate was scared to touch the animals but she was so curious she just had to!

After eating over priced terrible foods like funnel cake & looking at amazing art, vegetables, etc. we then went to the free "Boys II Men" concert. James got a 2nd row ticket, but it was too loud for MK, so we stood back on the bleachers.

She loved to dance & seriously loved her first concert! She couldn't stop clapping & smiling.

You can tell, she loves her Daddy. DaDa is the word she says night & day!

The fair wore her out and I'll be honest... I think it wore us out too! But it was so fun!

Our Pink and Blue Walk

Last year at this time we went on a red and yellow walk when Kathy was very pregnant and in need of distraction. Today we went on a pink and blue walk, inspired by MaryKate's pink dress and bright blue eyes (not inspired by our next baby, which is still a while off :). Hope you enjoy.

First Steps & Green Chili Sauce!!!

I'll begin with the biggest news of the month:

#1- MaryKate took her first steps tonight! She's been walking holding on to walls & such but tonight she walked from me to James without touching anything! Crazy. Who would think a girl with such a large cranium would find enough balance? This means trouble. We'll try to video it soon.

#2- We are finished with ElderHostel tour guiding. Below is a picture of us moments before hot air ballooning during our final week of the summer.

#3- The day we finished, James & I went with a group of 8 others to hike Havasupai Falls for our 2nd time. Mary & Becca watched MaryKate for the 4 days we were gone... thank you to them! It was hard to be without her, but we did have a great time!

(It rained & flash flooded our first night there, so hence the brown water for a day.)

(Zoom in on this sweet pic of Ryan & Evan doing a simultaneous back flip off the new waterfall)

(Our entire group of 10 minus me jumping through the falls)

(After the hike out... we earned all that sweat!)

#4- MaryKate is eating just about everything! She loves food and scavenges for it all day!

#5- Last but not least- GREEN CHILI SAUCE!
All summer we had zero food in our fridge due to tour guiding. So on a Saturday we came home from Park City and picked up some dinner at Costa Vida. James loves green chili sauce so he got a few containers of it. We took it to go & drove home. James got MaryKate out of the car and picked up the plastic bag of Mexican food and headed upstairs while I started unpacking the car. When upstairs, James noticed the green chili sauce had leaked out of the container and out of the bag onto his arm and because he had his arms full with MK, he quickly licked the dripping chili sauce off his arm. Sadly it wasn't green chili sauce! MaryKate had been having some bowel troubles and had exploded out of her diaper something that looked very similar to green chili sauce. After gagging & spitting the pooh out, James washed out his mouth multiple times. :)