The Soaring Oldfield's:

Come take a flight with us, remember to fasten your safety belt and please note your airsick bag-a blog this mushy and you might need it.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Rock-a-bye Baby:

This is Emma:
Silly, Fun, Happy, Stubborn, Independent, Mischievous, Adventurous, and now Accident Prone
these are some boo-boos, little as they may be they are some of our firsts. Thankfully no stitches, but could have been.
Perhaps she would experience less boo-boos if incidents like this didn't happen as often.
It's ok, we like a little spice to life, as long as it excludes stitches, hospitals, and never ending crying. :)

Friday, January 21, 2011

Do as I'm Doing, Follow Follow Me:


I just love how quickly Emma has picked up on some of our Family's important goals. Shane has done an EXCELLENT job presiding and providing spiritually for us. Here a couple of pictures:
Emma got a more child friendly Book of Mormon for Christmas, to help us read scriptures as a family.
Our night time routine starts with pajamas, scriptures, nightlight, and than sitting on the floor for prayer.
Last night Emma got to sit on the floor all by herself for the first time. She made it about half way through the prayer before she got up and started playing with toys :)
It brings me so much joy to see her fold her arms and bow her head. I know how important prayer is. God is our Father in Heaven and He wants to hear from us.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water:

Shane, Emma, and I went to Hoover Dam to see the new bridge and stretch our legs. Emma loved an opportunity to run up and down the switchbacks. She kept trying to take all the rocks, I had to remind her we have plenty of rocks at home.
I was hoping all this running around would tire Emma out so she would take a good nap, alas, she had other plans. I guess we'll have to try again another day.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Hugging a Tree when you get Near it:


We are one step closer to our landscaping dreams for this home. Shane had a friend of a friend come cut down some of our sickly trees-sickly to sight and in their roots.

Here are just a couple pictures, and don't worry we will be replanting. All those date nights to the local plant nursery might pay off!

Front Yard: Before
and After
Demolition:

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Working 9 to 5...

I feel like it's been ages since my last post and the truth is I've started a couple and deleted them because I never got into the groove. So I'm gonna make a quick post today, perhaps just a simplified list of why I'm not posting as much:
This is my hat by the way.

1. I got a new calling (a service responsibility or position) for church. It's a big one. Bigger than I ever realized. In fact, in order to balance other things in life I plan ONLY 1 hour a DAY of Primary stuff to take care of. Yup, I'm the Primary President of our new ward (we just had boundary changes a month ago). Primary is over all children ages 18 months-11 years old.
I am STILL working on filling teachers and Cub Scout leaders and Nursery Leaders. I've submitted a total of 19 names and currently have 6 more callings to even submit names for. I don't know anybody due to boundary changes and have 3 teaches who will be moving by march.
2. Exercise and Diet: as most my readers know I started my New Years Resolution in September. I'm currently in a 'I don't want to do this anymore' mood. I can't stand the sight of spinach, twice a day for 3 months is too much and I'm tired of making such boring meals (basic protein, veggie, and healthy oil). Gross. I still LOVE my exercise though and I have made significant progress (20+ lbs) and there is satisfaction in doing this the right way, but it is also the really really HARD way.
Emma was warming up to the dog, one of her big fears.

3. Emma is 16 months old now and very busy. She is so cute when she's happy that I admit I stop what I'm doing (usually work) to watch her twirl, or climb up on chairs, or reach things on top of the counter, desks, table etc. She is getting so big so fast. She is difficult when sad or angry. She is practicing her age 2 tantrums by prostrating herself on the ground, screaming and kicking legs. This is not so cute, or funny, but keeps me very busy none-the-less. People have the nerve to ask me 'Are you planning a second child soon?'. If they only knew or remembered how much work and emotion goes into one. When I'm emotionally ready I'll know it and I'll announce it so please, don't ask.

I'm exhausted like everybody else, overwhelmed like most, and trying my hardest to stay positive-when all I want to do is scream and pout and kick my legs like Emma does. I'm ready for a vacation and I just had one last weekend...sigh

p.s. These are some pictures (of Emma) of our quick jaunt to Utah

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Tonight I'm Gonna Party like it's 1999:

A little flashback to that crazy man Prince.

Well another New Years Eve party spent very enjoyably. Emma, Shane, and I stayed home quietly watching Monk (season 2), Kung Fu Panda and packing for a quick trip to Utah that is coming up. Emma made it as far as 7:43pm, I made it to 11:04pm, and surprisingly Shane might have made it this year but had to be up for work by 5am.

I'll copy and paste our Families Annual News letter because I haven't printed and mailed them yet:

This year started with confusion, anxiety, and hope for Shane’s career. His next step was anticipated to bring change in location, big kid decisions like the investment of a house, and potentially a real salary. All of which came to pass a few months later. Shane continues to provide all his time, efforts, strength, and means to support and maintain this happy family.

Erin also started a new job requiring confidence in the dreaded electronic world (plus convincing her boss she can site optimize with no skill in grammar and spelling). She also maintains the humbling jobs of Homemaker and Mother which she enjoys greatly. Emma has grown beautifully this past year. Her current stats include: age 15months, weight 21.5 lbs and height 29 inches. She has discovered, maintained, and mastered many important skills for the beginnings of life. What a joy she is to our family.

As a whole, we are glad to see Emma learning so much. She has learned the word ‘No’ and learned how to ignore it. Emma currently uses a spoon and fork alongside Shane and Erin, and has been known to stab her eggs successfully with a spoon. Emma’s most recent tricks include running (just out of reach when you ask her to ‘Come Here Please’), singing while twirling in a circle, coloring with a pencil on ANYTHING, attempting to put her own shoes and socks on (sometimes in that order), and recognizing the meaning of more words. She has become very shy around some people and runs up to select strangers. It may be that stubborn streak she undoubtedly learned from Erin.

Shane and Erin continue to master the art of parenting one mistake at a time. We are both grateful for the support and encouragement from family and friends as we have celebrated our second year in marriage. We take all the help we can get, after all, we still consider ourselves newlyweds.

May this Christmas season bring you the blessings and joy needed to survive another year. Please know you are loved by us, thought of and prayed for often, and very much missed.

Loads of Love: Shane, Erin & Emma


upcoming goals

  1. Teach emma to pick up toys
  2. stop procrastinating on assignments
  3. fulfill church callings but balance family needs
  4. continue to conquer school debt one bill at a time
  5. continue to gain health in body and spirit
  6. Consider potty training...
  7. Find new way to focus while working from home
  8. finish painting inside of house


And just because Uncle Scott gives great gifts, here are a few pictures of Emma sporting her favorite football team: