Cowan's Gap

A few weeks ago we went with my parents to Cowan's Gap State Park, a beautiful place in the mountains near Altoona. I just found the pictures from that adventure. We swam and paddle-boated in the lake, hiked the mountain, and enjoyed being in such a natural setting.

Annie and Poppy scouted out the perfect picnic bench by the lake.


While taking a break from swimming laps in the lake, Annie sported her trendy beach cover-up.


We had so much fun (and got so much sun!) paddle-boating around the lake. It was beautiful!


All ready for the hike up the Horseshoe Trail. See Annie in Brant's backpack??


The trail was marked at a high difficulty, but we figured we could handle it. Boy, it was steep!!


On the way back down, Annie refused to be in the backpack anymore. She was so tired. So I carried her like a little baby all the way across the backside of the mountain. Luckily it wasn't steep anymore. :)


Walking around at the overlook


What a lovely summer vacation!

P.S.-- Today is my 25th birthday! Brant, Annie, Memphis, and I are are about to leave for some more adventures!

January Update

fam
Howdy y'all! My heart goes out to the family in my mother's ward that recently lost a child and to my mother who has grown close to them. My mother called me the other night and upon answering the phone I knew that it was going to be one of "those" calls. You know the one's I'm talking about: the calls you answer and after hearing the other's voice you immediately sit down and prepare yourself because you know something bad has happened. Mom explained the situation and said she just wanted some news she could smile about and asked about Annie. I promised her some pictures she could smile about, so here goes.


"So much better than milk!!"

Annie's best smile!!

Uncle Thomas bought Annie her first Hawaiian outfit. She started doing her best hula impersonation during church!

Just playing with Tigger.

Annie has discovered the joys of sucking on apple pieces!


Check out these socks! Grandma Cici made them for Annie for Christmas! Annie's kinda somber.



Annie has become quite the ambi-roller. She can only roll over her left shoulder! She'll roll over back-to-front and then front-to-back over and over again until she makes a complete circle.

What a cute outfit!

Whoa Dad. You're freakin me out!
We took Annie to the Pennsylvania Farm Show. She hated the sheep!

One day Annie's hair looked particularly long. Whaddya know! She has Krammer hair!


Annie and Cors enthralled by the local news! It's that good, folks!

Happy December!

Hi there! Hope everyone is getting excited for Christmas!! Well, this has been me lately, sick and homebound for the last three weeks or so. I've had two really nasty colds, one of them may have been the flu, I'm not sure. And I'm still trying to get over a bad cough and a nose that just won't stop running. But we've still been busy around here! Here're some pictures to illustrate . . . :)


Annie learning to appreciate some semblance of tummy time without throwing a fit. :)


Thanksgiving evening, when we got back from dinner in Lancaster with my dad's family.


Our dear friends from Boston, Jared and Laura (and their little girl, Evelyn) came to visit us! We knew them in Provo, and now they're at dental school at Harvard. It was SO wonderful to see friends here! We took them around Middletown and drove down to Three Mile Island so they could take a picture by the power plant. We also went hiking then went to the house of a family in our ward, where we played softball in the cold! So much fun!!


Annie almost permanently has a bib attached to herself now. She drools so so much. :)


Filled with wonderment at the toys on her bouncy seat. She's finally come around to enjoying all the stuff we have to entertain her with. Makes me very happy--and keeps my hands free a lot more now!


Brant and our little Latvian sailor, asleep on the sofa


Hanging onto Brant's hair--very tightly!


Last week Annie and I (and Memphis) traveled down to Gettysburg to bake Christmas cookies with my mom. Annie had a great time. We were there all day and evening, and we made so many yummy treats! Unfortunately, I spent half the day lying down with a high fever and chills. But it was still a great trip.


Annie and Grandma in the sunshine


Swinging in the basement at my mom's house. Annie was totally zoned out as my mom sang Christmas songs to her. (And she lulled the dogs to sleep too!)


So Annie's new thing is her tongue. She sticks it out at everyone and loves the reaction she gets! She smiles so big and just keeps doing it. And if you stick yours back out at her, she'll study it closely, just be mesmerized. It's really cute.


When I was still sick, my mom came up to our house to help out with Annie. More Christmas cookies were baked, of course, in addition to dinner. :)


Annie was continually startled by the beater and consequently very intent on figuring out what was making such a noise.


And Memphis licked the bowl!


Brant read the most recent Harry Potter book while I was sick. Here he is reading it to Annie. She just kept staring at his mouth as he talked.


Dancing to Christmas music in the kitchen


Stealing a kiss :)

And here's a video of Brant reading to Annie. She was really getting a kick out of it, at least in the beginning.


Happy holidays!! Since I've been so sick I haven't yet put decorations up, so I can't wait to do that! We've got a lot going on these next few weeks. This weekend we'll be going to my friend's wedding in Maryland. There are also a number of holiday festivals and such in all the towns around us. So this weekend should be a lot of fun. Hope everyone's having a wonderful season!

Want some videos?

For those who miss Annie or who can't wait til Christmastime to see her, here are some videos!

The first one stars Brant and Annie making breakfast one morning. Annie has been newly introduced to her Bumbo seat, and she seems to really enjoy it!



The second video stars Annie, just playing around in her crib one morning.


And third, here's a video Brant made when Annie was trying to wake up in her swing. She was soo tired that day and just couldn't. :)

First Snow!

Hello! :) Well, the holiday decorations are up around Middletown, and it really snowed for the first time today. It's been snowing all morning and afternoon. It's still pretty warm, so nothing's laying too much. But it feels very seasonal! Memphis sure was excited. I'm not sure Annie understood what she was looking out at the window . . . but that's all right. Anyway, here's a good deal of pictures for your viewing enjoyment!
Brant and Annie making me breakfast!


What the trees looked like before the snow


Pretty blue eyed baby


My two loves smiling at each other


Happy Annie!


Thinking Annie


I came home from running one afternoon and found them sleeping on the sofa like this!


My mom came to stay with Annie while we went to play tennis. So fun! So cold!


Brant was covering a class on campus the morning it snowed, so he had to get up early and clean off the car!


Isn't she pretty sleeping?


"Come on and let it snow!"



Annie in her koala vest from her GG Jane!


super cool


So, tomorrow is the Harrisburg Holiday Parade downtown. We're thinking about going for a bit, unless it's just too cold for Annie. There's a good chance it will be. Then we'll head down to Gettysburg for a yummy dinner and to see Twilight! I can't wait! I feel like I'm coming down with a bad cold, though, so there's also a chance we'll have to call off all the festivities of the day. Hopefully not, since we already bought the Twilight tickets.

Brant's been working hard on his term papers. Almost finished! His Civil War paper is getting really interesting, and he's learning tons about the ins and outs of serious research. We're watching Love Actually right now--I know it's not quite time for Christmas movies, but it's snowing!! I'll wait to watch A Christmas Story until after Thanksgiving!

"I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes . . . ."

oh, and my favorite quote from the movie . . .

"Just in cases." :)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!