September I Remember

So one of the first things we did after moving to Utah was to go camping with Jon's family.  The nights were a little rough with Asher but it was fun all the same.  The thing I think I missed the most while living back east was the mountains.  To be able to be in them again was wonderful.  We went on a little hike with the kids and Uncle Grant gallantly carried Kate for some of the time.  What a trooper!  

Melissa and Sam

Kate, Hudson, and Sam

Now that is hiking.  For Grant, at least.

It was a little chilly and Asher borrowed Sam's reindeer hat.  It was pretty awesome, especially while riding the toy zebra bike.

So one day we decided to take a trip up to Brighton just to be in the mountains once again. There is a beautiful lake so we took a walk around it and then had a mini-picnic at the campgrounds nearby.

There is this cool Micky Mouse bit on the mountain

Asher and mama

Watching the ducks

My two cute kiddos

Some days it's nice just to chill out and not rush things in the mornings or at night.  One night before bed Kate and I were just hanging out.  She's always very funny but she was on something that night.  She decided to put a diaper on her head.  What a crazy girl she is.

More of my crazy Kate.  She has a sticker chart that she uses like money.  Each prize has a sticker value and after she earns a certain number of stickers she can trade them in for a prize.  One of her prizes was a pair of princess goggles.  I think the better prize was this picture.  :)

Asher is just as crazy as his sister.  They both crack me up numerous times a day.  Asher doesn't really like being messy (though he doesn't seem to mind MAKING messes) and after eating a raspberry jelly doughnut he brought me a wipe to clean him up.

Another of the things we missed a lot in New York was the Hogle Zoo.  We loved the Syracuse zoo as well but there are different animals in each zoo so Kate was especially excited to see giraffes again.  Asher was more interested in the tractors that were working to build the new Polar exhibit.

Asher and Grandpa watching the elephants

I love this picture.  She looks like she's about to ram something down.

Asher's new favorite person - Grandma!

August. I'm on a roll! Almost to 2012...

August was bittersweet.  We moved from New York back to Utah.  While I was excited to move near family again, we left behind many good friends.  It was a busy month.  Kate got to go to Bridget's birthday party, we went to the zoo one more time, and had dinner with our dear friends Hannah and her family. I miss my New York friends!  Melissa, Hannah, Arielle, Valerie, Rosie, Kari, Angie, Natalie, all of you are wonderful.  

At Bridget's birthday party - Melissa Fisk and her daughter Katie

The birthday crew

At the zoo, one last time.  Asher couldn't contain his excitement.

Asher celebrated his first birthday the day before we flew to Utah.  We couldn't really celebrate it because we had no home, no stuff, and no gifts.  But we did have friends.  Hannah invited us to spend the evening at her house for dinner which we did.  We had a good time with our friends for one  more time.  Asher had ice cream for the first time with his birthday apple crisp, courtesy of Hannah.  Hannah is one of the greatest friends I have ever had - more like a sister.  I miss her more than I can say.  It was a hard drive to Buffalo leaving our friends after such a dinner but it makes me immensely grateful I live in the age of modern communication.

We flew to Utah the day after Asher's first birthday.  Jon and my dad drove the moving van back to Salt Lake over the period of a few days.  I just couldn't stand the thought of driving with two small kids for three days straight.  The 8+ hour flight was hard enough.  Kate was excited to see her family again, but it was several months before she stopped saying she missed her friends every single day.

One of the first things we did when we came home was to go to Iceburg.  Kate thought she could handle her own shake.  Didn't quite happen...

 Soon after returning to Utah we had a family dinner at the West's house in Park City.  It was nice to be able to attend little family functions again.  It was really nice mostly because no one in the family had really had a chance to get to know Asher very well.  I was glad to see him surrounded by family.

           Kate roasting marshmallows for dessert                   Uncle AJ playing with Asher and Kate

Beautiful clouds

Kate is such a little poser.  It probably comes from her mommy    CONSTANTLY taking pictures of her.  :)

My parent's cat, Maggie, was very excited to have people to cuddle with at night.  Kate was very excited to have a cat that didn't run away from her.  

I like this shot just because it's so very E.T.

We had a little gift opening at a family dinner for Asher's birthday.  He had a good time.

Little Man!!

So Asher has this thing about tomatoes.  Ever since he was little he has been obsessed with the things.  Every time we buy some at the store he sneaks them out of the pantry and takes huge bites out of each one. He just loves them.  Maybe that's why he's Superman.  

Superman with his super-food, the tomato.

photo shoot gems

So here are some little gems from my photo shoots.  Lucky me, I had some really cute families to shoot!  Enjoy!