Emma Turned 12!

The 17 days after Adam's birthday might be Emma's favorite days of the year because they all lead up to her birthday!  Emma had big plans for her birthday this year, but none so exciting as the fact that she just didn't have to be in the car driving to Utah this year.  Alas, her birthday was on a Thursday, which meant that some measure of life and work still had to happen, but we still partied hard all day long! After breakfast in bed and a morning of presents and fun, 

we met Leah for lunch at the Olive Garden!

 These girls definitely know how to have fun. 

Emma had a great big party planned for the evening, so we had to get home to finish up decorating and preparing all of the things. 

Emma wanted to invite aaallll of the friends to her party this year, and they almost all were able to come!  It was a house full of girly fun. 

Emma didn't want a birthday cake, so she blew out the candles from a bowl of M&Ms. 

The girls played inside games and outside games and made bracelets and ate lots of food before settling in to watch A Cinderella Story.  It was a perfect tween party!

And Emma is a perfect tween!  She has always loved the idea of what is coming next, rather than what is happening in her life right now, but like it or not she has one more year of being an awesome tween before she hits the official teenage years. 

Maybe by this time next year she'll be just as tall as me (her wish is to be even taller). 

Ooh I love this little muffin cup!

Recreating a classic- 

and trying something new- 

We got it!

Always open to tyring something new, Emma took my suggestion of Ruby Tuesday's for her birth-date dinner.  I'm not sure which one of us was more excited!

Our server totally hooked Emma up with all the strawberry lemonade, cheese sticks, chicken strips, chips and queso and dessert she wanted. 

There were waaay too many TVs all around us to have much of a serious conversation, but we still loved being together for our traditional date!

12-year-old Emma loves- 

Her friends!  It's all about friends when you're 12 years old. 

All things Taylor Swift, from bracelet making and fashion to all of her songs. 

Borrowing Leah's clothes, and occasionally mine.  

Making people laugh, which she is quite good at. 

ASMR and fashion vloggers on YouTube. 

Playing vet with her stuffed animals- she recently went to a vet clinic and came home with some good supplies, and opted not to donate her latest lost molar to the tooth fairy so that she could act out some good tooth extractions on her stuffed fox. 

Popcorn!  It's Emma's main food group. 

Reading aaaallll the books.  Emma does not want to miss out on a good story!

Trying new things- show choir, orchestra, band, acting, singing, embroidery, various jewelry making and nail designs, Emma definitely has the attitude that if she's not good at something it's just because she hasn't tried it yet. 

The temple- Emma has made it a point to visit a temple every month so far this year!  She thinks good and hard about her testimony and has great insights into our family conversations about gospel topics.  She is brave and always willing to teach a young women's lesson or contribute to her Sunday school class. 

Emma has all of the standard emotions of a fabulous and growing up 12 year old, which means a LOT of emotions.  She is learning what she likes and doesn't like, what she should and shouldn't say or do, and so much about how she wants to show up in the world.  

Emma is a fantastic big sister and a fun little sister and the best wingman and friend anyone could ever ask for.  If you want to have fun, just have Emma by your side!

The Iowa State Fair

Leah, Adam, Emma, Noah and I participated in a Veterans Memorial Concert this summer.  We had four weeks of rehearsals- Leah and Adam in the orchestra, Emma and Noah in the children's choir and me in the sanctuary with the adult choir, and after each one everyone was chatting and challenged in a way that I knew they were feeling satisfied with their involvement in the group. 

On Sunday we had a big dress rehersal performance- 

I, along with the other altos, was squeezed in behind the trombones. 

The music was all beautiful and it made me so happy to introduce my kids to the joy of patriotic celebration.  Military bands and performances were a big part of my childhood but they have been much harder to come by in my adult civilian life.  This was a great way to interact with veterans and share our pride of being Americans!  

The main concert was on Monday at the state fair- our participation earned us free tickets into the fair which is a good thing because, despite the many fun traditions and memories we have of the fair, I will always liken it to Casey's pizza.  I know as an Iowan I'm supposed to like it I'm just not really sure why.  It was SO crowded this year and hot, cloudy, and raining on and off all day.  We kept our eye on the big yellow slide in hopes of getting a run in before the concert, but that didn't happen.  

We did get our eggs-on-a-stick (with a quick run-in with the missionaries) 

got not nearly enough time with the cute farm babies- 

saw some of the fair's blue ribbon winners- 

Emma picked out some cute origami crane earrings-

Noah was in charge of ordering our bucket of cookies this year!

We ate lots of something on a stick...

And the kids rode the skyliner in pairs while I enjoyed the walk on the ground.  (Daddy was out of town for this big adventure.)

Another growing up milestone- riding the skyliner without an adult!

We were only at the fair for a few hours before it was time for our concert, but we had eaten plenty of food and checked off most of our favorite stops by the time we had to head over to the pavilion. 

Overall the concert was a success.  We all agreed that the dress rehersal was more fun and polished than the actual performance (high winds blew everyone's music off their stands, Adam had to nudge the accordian play awake when he missed his entrance, the children's choir mikes weren't working so they were hard to hear) but all in all it was a fantastic event and we were all glad to be a part of it!

My view of that same cute trumpeter.

After the concert we tried to hurry over to the yellow slide- Emma and Noah took off first and by the time Leah, Adam and I made it over to the ticket hut they had disappeared! They were absolutely nowhere to be found, and if it had been a few years ago I think we all would have panicked.  They were gone!  We split up and looked in the line, at the ticket hut, and at the slide, and once we confirmed that they were nowhere to be found we started back over to the concert pavilion right as my friend called to say that they were with her.  Somehow we crossed paths when they got to the slide first and realized we weren't behind them and then turned around to go back to the pavilion.  It doesn't matter how old you are, getting lost is not fun!  It was only about 8 minutes that we were apart but that was more than enough time to remember that we should stick together!  And after all that, the yellow slide was still closed and we agreed that we will just have to try again another year. Because love it or not, the state fair has become a summer tradition!

Auntie Emily Came to Visit!

For the first time since we've lived in Iowa, one of Jason's sisters came to visit us!  We had all kind of fun with Auntie Emily, starting with a lap or two around Maffitt Lake.  

I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who likes it when Laney joins us but just look at that happy sailor pup!

After kayaking we headed downtown for dinner at Zombie Burger

and a perfect weather and perfect sunset (if only we had a bathroom and more drinking water) kind of night on the riverfront. 

The next morning Auntie Emily headed down to Nauvoo for a YSA conference.  When it was over, we drove down to Nauvoo to pick her up! Jason, Emily and the big kids (including Other Adam from Nebraska, Madison, and Jarek from FSY) did baptisms in the temple while Noah and I hit the town!  

He and I always make a point of stepping inside the main temple doors to feel the peaceful spirit that is in there and smile at the temple workers.  This time the kind old lady at the desk was quick to point out the artwork of Jerusalem and invite Noah to come back again to do baptisms just as soon as he is old enough. Just 14 more months!

Jason and his sister!

After the temple we hurried down to catch a carriage ride around Nauvoo- Emily had just spent 3 days there but she was a good sport about doing a bit more touristing around with us. 

It was hot but the carriage ride was the perfect way to quickly see Old Nauvoo. 

After lunch and fudge we dipped our toes in the Mississippi River,

took one more picture, 

and headed over to the next stop on our 'sights of Iowa' adventure- American Gothic House!

Shrek and Donkey made a surprise appearance- 

Auntie Emily and Jesse- 

Mom and Farmer J- 

Leah and Other Adam- 

Not so little anymore Emma and Noah- 

Other Auntie Emily trip highlights included a slow but successful friendship with Laney- 

Post-church sillies- 

Dinner at The Chicken!

Becoming one with the corn- 

and more tree climbing of course. 

Not pictured- Jason revealing his mad tetherball skilz, our morning walk 'n talks, and all of the excitement about Auntie Emily's life.  It was so fun having her out here with us!