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Emelyn was ready to eat on Thanksgiving day!

"Is the food ready yet?"

Emelyn loved this little high chair - it's an inflatable travel one and she misses getting to sit up to the table now that she's home.
Haning out in the airport. Emelyn knows no stranger and got lots and lots of walking practice in too!

Tonight we went and bought a tall, narrow Christmas tree since our old one (a very beautiful, tall, rotating tree) is simply too big for our little living room - especially since we have different furniture now than in years past.

Emelyn likes to look at the tree and say "oooh" and "aaah" over and over. She's so darn cute!

Emelyn is now walking/running with confidence. She also has developed some new fun expressions. The suprised "ooooo" look, as well as clicking her tounge. She also likes to flash a cheesey grin and thanks to Uncle David, has yet another new fun, hilarious laugh that she does while rubbing her hands together. So cute!!! She also has really gotten into books. Her toy of choice these days is to grab a book and bring it to us to read. She is such a joy and we love her so much!

Pasadena Day 3

Today we packed a picnic and ate lunch on the beach. The weather was in the 80's and simply beautiful ... the perfect setting to be filled with gratitude ... looking into the ocean and being reminded of who God is ... surrounded by family ... we are truely blessed! After the beach trip we came home, took naps, and then woke up to eat a yummy Thanksgiving meal.

Emelyn wasn't sure what to think of the sand

Looking back at the ocean thinking that is one BIG bathtub

Testing the sand with her feet

Then she tested out the sand with her hands

Then realized it was a lot of fun - I'm pretty sure every inch of her body had sand on it at one time or another!

David & Melissa on the beach

Love this picture!

Family pictures were hard to capture... but a lot of fun!

Walking on the beach - she loved it!

Daddy found a shell for Emelyn

When we convinced her she wasn't suppose to eat it, she decided it needed to go in her hair

A little story - Emelyn seems confused about what is and isn't a dog. At first, she knew what her book said a dog was, and then over time, we have told her that new animals were dogs as we see them outside - animals that are much bigger, smaller or a completely different color than the dog she knew from her book. Well today at the beach, there were pigeons and seagulls everywhere. The pigeons would walk right up to you asking for food. Emelyn was overwhelmed, pointing at each one, exclaiming "Doggie!" "Doggie!" "Doggie" over and over and over. (Last night we saw a dog at the pizza parlor that was smaller than a pigeon.) Then Uncle David kindly told her that, no, those are rats with wings. :) Poor girl is confused now... she doesn't remember seeing rats with wings in her books.

Pasadena Day 2

A very onery little girl eating some leftover apple pancakes.

"Come ON you guys! I'm ready to go!"
Starting our day with a walk to Cal Tech's campus.
Watching the fountain outside the Library.

Walking in grass for the first time - she wasn't sure what to think of it!

"Check it out, dad!"

Looking at some passer-bys.

She sees a dog!

A common facial expression lately "oooooh!"

Walking home to take a nap - with a stop at Fresh & Easy and Trader Joes (the original one)

Again... the "oooooh!" face as she looks in daddy's wallet

The Green Castle - one of the first luxury hotels on the west coast

After Emmy's afternoon nap we headed outside to enjoy the remaining sun of the day with a walk to a hardware store, and then Whole Foods, ending the day with a stop at Bella's Gourmet Pizza. Emelyn was ready to get out of the stroller and walk around!

Trying another first - pizza! Chicken Alfredo, and it's safe to say she loved it!

Emelyn has already adjusted to the time zone - last night she went to bed at 6:30 (8:30 our time) and slept a full 12 hours, which put her close to her normal daily schedule in Pacific Time today. Tonight we've been baking each person's favorite dessert - pecan pie, cherry pie, apple crisp... tomorrow will be a yummy day! We're also planning on walking to the Rose Bowl, going to the beach, and visiting Cal State to see where Melissa teaches. Should be another fun day!

Pasadena Day 1

We made it! The flight to California went really well, despite having a 1.5 hour delay leaving Fayetteville. Emelyn (who normally goes to sleep by 8 each night) stayed awake in the airport until we got on the plane at 11pm and then slept until we landed in LA. We were anxious to see how she'd do flying at night, and it turned out to be ideal... Our return flight leaves at 6pm CDT, arriving home at 9pm so I'm really hoping she sleeps on that flight too!

1 block from David & Melissa's house is Colorado Street - home of the Rose Bowl parade - the street is lined with restaurants and shops. We enjoyed the beautiful weather yesterday walking around the area. Here is a view of the mountains that burnt a few months ago from Colorado Street.

The lightrail system has a stop under their complex.
One more street over - again the mountains!

Walking through City Hall - the weather is so nice year round that everything's open to the outdoors

David & Melissa's Courtyard

Melissa had this purple bear in their home and Emelyn has adopted it (not sure that Mel knows that!)

Daddy & Emelyn picking some limes and lemons from the courtyard

Emelyn sat in the kitchen with Melissa helping her make apple pancakes for breakfast.

Bird of Paradise Flower

Watching the fountain in City Hall

A view down Colorado Street

For lunch we ate at the California School of Culinary Arts - the weather was so nice that we opted to eat outdoors

Snuggling with daddy while waiting for food - I can't get over how beautiful this place is, as well as how clean it is, not to mention how incredibly friendly everyone is.

Trying her first french fry

Quite the "lady" enjoying her time outdoors!

After all of our walking, we came home for supper and while Melissa was on campus teaching, David made us some amazing salmon with a yellow pepper and basil sauce with sides of fresh green beans and red potatoes from the Farmers Market. Such a fun (and delicious) day!

Emelyn and Roxy

"I think she likes me!"

"Can I come over and play with her more often?"
Giving Roxy an eskimo kiss. We give Emelyn eskimo kisses (brushing noses) and to show her love to Roxy she did the same.

"I'm going to miss you..."

"Let's play together again soon!"

I've mentioned on here before that Emelyn loves dogs. During a recent visit to a friend's house Emelyn showed no fear of dogs once again. We have NO plans of getting a dog anytime soon (ei - this decade, maybe not in this century???) so she just settles for looking forward to visiting our friend's dogs.