Happy HallowEEK!

Believe it or not, Halloween is celebrated here and particularly in the street markets! Of course, most of the costumes and decorations are a little on the creepy side!

AND now for a little Halloween treating from the past! During our first year in Hong Kong, it was a foregone conclusion that Emma and Ellie be dressed in 'something' Chinese! So I found them matching Chinese outfits! So darling...(and the outfits are pretty cute too!)Here they are approaching a door to chant..."Halloween Apples--Trick or Treat!" (Okay, I am not entirely sure they said that, but that is what I taught our kids to say!)

This is where they hit the jackpot...at Aunti Erin and Kara's house when they lived in Salt Lake!Oh, if only I had access to my pictures from yesteryear's...What fun we would have being reminded of trick and treating in Grandma's neighborhood with all the cousins!
Happy Halloween Everyone!
PS: I believe we have Aunti Kara to thank for the kiddies trick and treating photos!

You Say Its Your Birthday?

A few years ago...on this day, the 23rd of October, cute Erin arrived! She came so fast and with so little fanfare that we were all taken by surprise! Even Dr. Bachman was shocked that Erin was not willing to wait another minute. So from the time I started labor through to the delivery it was only a couple of hours! A perfectly behaved baby!

And what a sweet baby she was--good natured and full of smiles! As she grew she had her own personal style when accomplishing ordinary events...like her knee walking until she was about 15 months old! Oh, for a photo of that feat! As an adult...she can take pictures of herself with absolute perfection and has shared that skill with her sisters!
Her sisters are her delight and she loves spending time with them. She is thoughtful and caring to so many--and a sweeter daughter you could not ask for. This past September, she flew home two weekends in a row just to be with family...The first weekend was to be with Emma for her baptism. They have a special bond and Erin couldn't let Emma celebrate this special event without her! The second weekend was to be home for conference...so that we could be together for a few days while we were in Utah.

Waiting for the surprise!

Loving the surprise!

Together at last!

Erin is an innovator. She began Sister's night 21 years ago--and it is still being celebrated by them today! One of the sweetest thing I heard Emma (Erin's shadow) say this summer was this, in response to Ellie saying that Emma never wants to sleep with her: "Ellie, I will sleep with you...on Sister's Night Christmas Eve!" So it looks as though the second generation is going to continue the tradition! Check out this link to read about how it was done last year! http://knittinglemonade.blogspot.com/2007/12/on-eleventh-day-of-christmas.html

When we would take a trip to Utah...I always had my favorite places to go and see! One of them was Mormon Handicrafts. On one trip when Erin was with me, I parked out in front of the store. Erin turned to me and told me that she couldn't go in that store with me...all those crafty things made her feel ill! So imagine my surprise, when a couple of years ago, she announced that she was going to take up knitting. "Knitting?!" I said? You? When I reminded her of her aversion to crafts, she informed me that knitting was not a craft but a skill! I have to admit I was skeptical, but when she taught herself to knit, and then proceeded to become this knitting phenomena--I was completely in awe! She is always knitting...not a moment is ever wasted!

This skill she has honed is extraordinary! She knits the most amazing things and does not seem to be overwhelmed with difficult and challenging patterns! She has inspired others to knit and we couldn't be more proud! This is the sweater that she was finishing in the car. Note the detail of the pattern and color changes. It gave me a headache to think about keeping track of all that detail...but not Erin--she relished the challenge and it looks fabulous on her!

So on this special day of October 23rd, Dad and I just want to say

"Happy Birthday Dear Erin!" We LOVE you!