Marching Band Family Preview

Every year before the first competition, the marching band performs their show for family and friends.  Last year on this night, I was there... and extremely pregnant, since it was my due date!  This year was much more comfortable. :)

We have three kids in the band this year:  Rebekah on flute (she's the flute section leader), 

Price in the pit (percussion),

and Josh on trombone.

They did a great job.  I love the new black uniforms! (They're still waiting for the matching hats)

They had a "shadow march" again this year, where the kids got to bring someone onto the field to march along with them.  Emma followed Rebekah, Annie followed Josh, and Ethan stood by Price in the pit and said the drums and gongs were too loud!

Mom took Eliza for the whole time- and fed her a Tootsie Roll Pop!

I'm glad the kids can be in the band- they have a great bunch of kids in there, and I love that they are involved and excited.

Eliza's First Birthday!

The girls were so excited to give Eliza their present, they couldn't wait until the party- they let her unwrap it before school!

I tried to get some good pictures of Eliza- it's not easy right now, since she moves all the time!  But really, what picture of her wouldn't be cute, right?

The cute BYU cheerleader uniform is from Grandma and Grandpa Walker!

Later, I took her outside to try for some more picture, but she just wanted to explore.

She's always excited when the kids come home!

This one just makes me laugh.

Grandma and Grandpa Steele came over for the presents and cake.  Eliza woke up right before the party- I hurried and fed her some dinner, and she was still a little groggy for everything.  Really, 1 year old birthday parties need to be at about 10 in the morning.  It seems like we always try to cram them into everyone else's schedule, and the birthday child is less than thrilled most of the time.

Eliza did very well, considering.  She didn't have a clue what was going on, but she did like the presents!

That candle worried her- we hurried and blew it out! :)

It took her a minute to decide that the Cool Whip on the cake was okay to get on her hands.  Actually, we got her a fork after awhile, and she liked that better.  She did actually dig in eventually, but I was busy getting cake for everyone else at that point, and didn't take any more pictures!

Eliza is so loved.  And at the same time, I think she is the person responsible for helping the members of our family feel loved.  Everyone loves her smiles, and gets excited when she learns something new. 

 We are so blessed to have her in our family!

At 1 year old, Eliza is walking very well.  She still doesn't want to crawl, although we have tricked her into it by placing a toy in the middle of a fabric tunnel that we borrowed from Grandma's house.  She talks, but not with any real words- maybe she's speaking a different language?  Eliza is learning to go up stairs, and thinks she can go down, although we will be keeping the baby gate up for quite awhile still....  She turns around to slide off a couch or bed.  Eliza loves books, and has started bringing us books to read to her.  Her favorite music is Sandra Boynton, which she listens to while watching the visualizer on Tim's laptop or iPad!  She is starting to recognize grandparents (although Grandma Steele is the only one she really goes to still), and loves to be outside.  She still is calmed by music- that has been true her whole life, and unless she's really, really mad, we just sing a song and she stops crying.

Happy birthday, Eliza!

I love you!

Evanston Baptisms

Last Saturday, we all piled in the Suburban and drove to Evanston for the baptisms of two cousins.  I, of course, being the wonderful photographer that I am, didn't take any pictures of either baptizee.  I did, however, capture these few photos at the lunch in the park.

Eliza LOVED being at the park- she just walked all over the place, exploring things.  She's a cutie. 

Look- they're not arguing!  It's a baptism day miracle!

Josh... not sure about that ice cream, apparently.

The sibs hanging out.  

We had a great time- good food, great company, and nice baptisms.  It was nice to hang out with the Walker side of the family for a change! :)

PG Heritage Days

Every year, I see the Pleasant  Grove Heritage Days celebration advertised for a Saturday in September.  Every year, I have thought it sounded like fun, and wanted to go.  Every year, when it comes right down to it, there is too much going on to make it over there.  Finally, this year, since we aren't doing soccer, we got to go!  It is an extremely low-key, small event, but that's the way we like them sometimes!

The kids got to use a crosscut saw to saw off the end of a log.  When they were finished, they took their disc of wood over to a guy with a branding iron, who put a design on each disc.  Pretty cool!

There was also a man there with pioneer toys- ring toss, hoops to roll... kept the kids busy for a long time!

Annie's favorite was the petting zoo.  

Not a bad way to spend an hour of our Saturday. :)

Keeping baby happy

If Eliza is grouchy when Tim has her, he knows what to do- play Sandra Boynton music and turn on the iTunes visualizer.  Works every. single. time.  

Now, if Tim sits down on the couch, she will bring him his iPad so he can turn on the music.  

She knows what she wants!

Labor Day

We had everyone over for a Labor Day BBQ- Mom and Dad, Ben and Claire, and Peter, Mary and Grafton were there!

This time of year is perfect for our backyard- the change in the angle of the sun makes it nice and shady in the afternoon.

I think Annie got ahold of the camera at some point...

Cream puffs with chocolate and blackberry toppings for dessert- yum!

Eliza loved that we were all outside- she explored all over the yard.

After dinner, we played a fun game- you make a baseball diamond and divide into two teams.  One person from each team walks around the diamond- one in each direction, heel-toe. 

When they meet, they have to do rock, paper, scissors.

The winner can keep going around the diamond, the loser has to run back home and tag the next person.

We had some pretty hilarious moments, and I really wish I'd captured Peter's "heel-toe" technique on video.

Fun times with the fam!

11 Months!