Tucker

One of Maggie's first words was dog.  She can do an authentic bark too.  She loves dogs.  Almost everyday we hang out with the dog people at the park.  Dogs are a lot like babies because they are good conversation starters. Anyway, we love our dog friends.   I thought I throw in a some pictures I took of Michelle's dog, Tucker.  Good dog!

18M

We lounge around today.  We went to Maggie's 18 month check-up.  She got three shots so afterward we went to Yogurtland to lick our wounds.  Everyone took an extra long nap.  Sara hit Costco and workedout... I have no idea what I did... but I felt exhausted still the same.

Motel Richins

We love it when the parents visit Utah because that usually means at least one overnighter with them... this time we got two.  WORD... if you stay at Motel Richins, your gonna get your picture taken.  In our next house we are going to have a guest room and a photo studio... but until then here is a lovely picture of the crimson suite...   check-in at 9pm-Midnight.  There is also a free homestyle breakfast... eggs, wheat cereal, pancakes... the works.  We now take "chocolate covered cinnamon bears" for payment.

Pregnancy

Pego!

Sisters

Maggie had fun with Taya this summer, especially with the music on Taya's phone. She would carry into around and dance to the tunes... she refused to take a picture without it.  We had fun hiking the Narrows and we got to spend a little extra time with Aunt Tonya and the cousins. Grandma gave the cousins birthday money, so they all went shopping... and I chauffeured.  I have no idea what takes so long to try on clothes but we were shopping forever... needless to say, I enjoyed it and Taya walked away with tons of new clothes and money to spare.

All about Paige

Did you know Paige has been writing in her journal near everyday this year?  I found her journal... just kidding... we chatted this week and I found this little snippet of a fact out. After I got off the phone I opened my journal and realized I had not written since early 2009.  I view journal writing like an honest conversation with yourself, almost like talking to yourself in the mirror.  I admire people who can write honest... I don't know where that is cultivated... maybe through journal writing.  Anyway, I am impressed with Paige... who knows maybe I will go write in my journal.

Maggie's Kisses

Every morning we eat breakfast together.  Today we had whole wheat pancakes with applesauce.  Maggie still prefers to eat applesauce with her fingers so it gets everywhere.  But the best part of our morning rituals is goodbye kisses.  It doesn't even phase Sara, she'll lay the kisses on even with breakfast still on Maggie's lips.  It is like watching a romantic action scene with Bruce Willis covered in blood,dirt and mud, kissing after the climax... I don't get it.   But I love it when Sara kisses her... now that is true love!

After 9am

We left the house a little late, that's because Maggie was pulling at the backpack, so I decided to take her hiking.  It was only 97 degrees and it felt surprisingly nice outside.  We hiked about four miles and found this concrete spillway.  Maggie loved it because two of her favorites things were readily available, climbing and rocks.

A Walk in the Park

I have been slowly working on my Father's Memorial for a couple of years now. I finally finished the design and order the stone and in a few months hopefully it will be installed. The whole process has made me more aware of the little memorials surrounding me, this is one of my favorites and it has become one of my favorite parks too.

He never met a park he didn't like... but this was his favorite.

Second Cousins

I don't think I have ever been able to visualize the second cousin once removed thing but I found this little cousin guide... my typical solution is I just call everyone a cousin.  I found this little gem of a memory in the midnight hour... just in the nick of time to post. Here are some pictures when Cass and the kids visited earlier these month.  These are from our visit to the Ethel M. Cactus Garden... sweet!

Collin, Maggie, Avery, Blake

Avery

Maggie and Avery

Abstraction

This image is long overdue, but back in July we had a little party to celebrate our neighbor friend's birthday.  Happy Birthday, Jessica!!  Anyway, I like the idea of manipulating an image beyond recognition and I thought this would be appropriate considering the content of the reality.

Record Breaker

Okay, I am running this experiment and trying to post something everyday. I figure it might lead me somewhere, maybe to something substantive or maybe not.  I turn to my picture library for ideas... because posting everyday eventually draws vacancy.  The nice thing is I have enough pictures to post something until I am a hundred years old. So this post will break the yearly post record, taking us into new territory. I thought it only be appropriate to share a photo of Tasha who holds the record for comments... how she finds the time... I will never know but we sure love all her thoughts.

Jail Break Update

Okay, Maggie has been breaking out of her crib for months. It goes in cycles. After a few hard falls she stops and comes back to her plan after growing a few inches. She very determined... don't let that face fool you.  Like any good father would do I decided to document the process.  Precariously she sits on the top rail and I nervously watch for her to lower herself but suddenly she flips forward and flings herself to the floor, smack!  Sara even ran in from the other room... so much for documenting the trip down.

Family Mug Shots

Brayden, Colin, Tanner	Aunt Chris	Uncle Dick
Brett	Quinn	Cass
Chad	Krystle	Jeremy
Maggie & Paige	Carly	Tate
Eleece	Chad	Whitney
Blake	Brian	Tasha
Blake & Avery	Grandma Snowball	Mom & Chase
Cindy aka Mom	Sara	Dave aka Dad

All about Chad minus Chad

Here are some photographs from Chad's homecoming, ironically without Chad.

Brayden's tongue

This group picture just kept getting bigger.

Paige time!

Before 9am

Our daily routines are chartered by the sun.  Everything we do gets done before 9am.  This summer has been a record breaking heat wave.  It is not unusual for the temperature, even at night not to drop below ninety and during the day temperatures soar into the hundred and teens... so we get up early eat breakfast and off into the burning morning sun.  But no matter the time of day, Maggie loves being outside, even in a hundred and fifteen degree weather, there is nowhere she would rather be than outside, exploring.

Supermodel Natural

I imagine what it is like being a supermodel.  Frequently people stop me to say how adorable Maggie is and I imagine this is what it is like being a supermodel.  Although, you might think it is easy photographing a supermodel, it is actually the opposite.  They are very demanding and difficult to work with.  There are only three things she will stop to let me photograph.  Well, I guess if I were a supermodel I would be the same way.

climbing or near a precarious edge

playing with sharp objects

eating rocks