there goes the sun..

20 NOVEMBER 2009
I uploaded most of these pictures in August.. so some of them are old and they are posted in backward order but at least they are something! This is what an Emma Jane looks like after eating chocolate pudding (her mama's favorite snack) and her daddy making the Emma face. This was around September...
We spent Labor Day Weekend in Napa Valley, CA for John's step-sister Kim's wedding. It was our first time in Napa and in the Bay Area and we both LOVED it. This is us at the wedding- it was beautiful and in a winery's cellar.. very cool. The coolest part was Emma Jane dancing like a diva at the reception. She was jumping and spinning and shaking her booty... I really don't know where she gets it from.. it must be her natural instincts! We spent a lot of time in San Fransisco and loved it! The tour we did of a WWII Submarine may have been John's favorite part. Here they are in the Dining area..

The Sub..

The city's trolly. We watched them drive the train on a big turn-table and get out and manually turn the train around. We were impressed.

This may have been my favorite part- lunch! I had rissotto for the first time and It may have been the best thing I have ever eaten! (I have since been making it at home and I found a butternut squash pistachio rissotto that is FABULOUS!)..of couse we ate dinner at fisherman's warf- clam choweder in a sourdough bread bowl..
Emma eating and loving the bruschetta tomatoes..

This was around August? Nanny and Grumps (Nancy and Kenny) came into town and brought this cute hat for Emma Jane. John had just gotten back from a boy scout wood badge training weekend which he loved and was a pretty big deal.. the area authority pretty much said all young men leaders had better get the wood badge..

Emma Jane and I went to the zoo with the McCrackin's.. here we are at the train station on our way to the aquarium.

This is Lana McCrackin.. they are best buddies.. soo cute!

This sweet dress was a christmas gift from my dad.. I think she is 14 months old here..

This adorable little dragon costume came from the Franze family. It brought alive the wild thing in Emma!

Emma LOVES going over to Marie and Nelson's house. And so do we!! They are the BEST babysitters too! The back view..

With her second cousins Addison and Coleson

Our wild thing

Uncle Ganes came through town

and we went on a steep hike in the Mountains of Mist.. Emma must have been on my back at this point..yea, I'm one tought mama..

I got this little blow up pool for Emma and she loved it! She would take a running dive into it! This is her best pirate face.

And her cheesiest grin! I wish you could see it better!

At the beloved cabin in Vallecito Colorado.. July or August

We took the boat on the Navajo Lake and and did some camping. We loved it. We ended up sleeping on the boat.

At our Elder's Quorm Social.. food on face and having fun!

This is BEAUTIFUL hike we did in Colorado, near Pagosa Springs.. can we live there please please please? This was at the tail end of the 4th of July weekend McCulloch Family Reunion. The actual reunion was at the Blue Lake Lodge Bed and Breakfast near Durango.

This is at the original McCulloch family homestead on the family ranch. It was so cool to go and get so much family history for his side of the family. Emma especially liked the chocolate chip cookies..

and chasing after the cows.. moooo...we went a couple miles away from the homestead to go shooting.. and John shot a gopher://gopher...after/ about 30 bullets.. it was hilarious.. soooo sleepy!

A trip to the zoo with the Smiths.. watch out.. these birds poop and bite!

Yay!

Emma enjoying the spoils from her awesome book birthday party the Nanny (Nancy) and Denise and Mama had for her..

We were able to go to Mesa for Lyndsey's sealing (my best friend from Dental Hygiene) school. I am so happy for her and so glad I was able to make it! The last weekend in May we made it to Kingman for Megan's graduation.. This is in Kingman at the "second chance prom" it was tons of fun. ..From L to R: Niki Christensen, Amy Shupe, me, Bob Shupe and Chris Christensen. Cute Madison had to get dressed up too! Love her!!

It was so much fun to go to prom with John! We were really excited about it and even had my mom watch Emma that night and John reserved the hotel room we stayed in at our wedding night. I also made my dress! Maybe the funnest part of the night was dancing with John and watching Bob and Amy dance.. they are pretty darn funny.. and Bob looked like Moes (Dwight's cousin) with his beard..

My mom's piano (actually.. I think it's Amber's).. I really want to get one for our home! Emma loves it too of course!

Baby Mozart

My Mom's back yard.. she was really enjoying this sprinkler.. though it's hard to tell by the look on her face..

Madi is a little too big to jump with Emma, but they had a blast.

Splash! Madi would jump in and Emma would cry.. so the pool didn't last very long..I also did swimming lessons with Emma Jane this summer. It was so much fun. Emma loves the water!

We drove to Lake Havasu from Kingman to get Emma's 12 month pictures taken (which turned out great.. thanks for the tip Niki!) and of course had to drive down the London Bridge which was named after us!My mom Sherrie Kay Shupe after Megan Graduated from High School!

My Grandma Gwen Kay Frandsen

My Grandpa George Clark Frandsen

Congratulations Megan Marie Christmas!! We loooooove you!

We sat in the grass during the ceremony so Emma could play and John could read.. I bet he read through my college graduation too...

I took this picture as she was walking to her seat..love it!

Emma Jane love to play in our backyard

This was our first trip of the summer to the cabin in May, where we invited Bob and Amy. They had a great time and fell in love with the cabin and Vallecito (there is really nothing you cannont fall in love with about that place). Bob especially loved catching all those trout!

We got up there on Emma's first birthday (May 22nd) and had a little birthday party for her. It was soo hilarious to watch her eat her cake..

The McCulloch Family

The Shupe Family

It was a fabulous summer! I will do another post.. hopefully before another six months have passed!