Birthday Boston Cream Pie

I have a birthday in the next week. Wendy has a Utah Museum's association conference. The two schedules don't mix well; so we decided to have my birthday cake with the Stuart's at family dinner.

Wendy asked me earlier in the week what kind of pie I would want (she didn't want to make a cake.) In an effort to just make things as easy as possible on her I told her that we could just buy a Boston Cream Pie from the Harmon's bakery.  Wendy understood "buy" as "make" and "from the Harmon's bakery" as "homemade." So she spent all afternoon after church today making a Boston cream pie.

Wendy hated it. At least it looked nice!

We thought we'd introduce Andrew to a birthday cake and an open flame candle. We thought he might be intrigued by the candle flickering. We were wrong. He started crying during the last part of Happy Birthday. So he either didn't like the candle...or he didn't like our singing.

Andrew's Recliner

A generous relative recently gave us some financing so we could get a recliner for Andrew. Up to this point we've been using a recliner donated from another family member. While Ben has enjoyed the original recliner Wendy feels that she drowns in it. So while browsing at a used furniture store recently Wendy found a recliner that is more "her size."  She was even more excited when she realized that it would match the rest of the furniture that we have.

So I present to you: Andrew's Recliner

Zoo visit with cousins and Andrew

Every since Hogle Zoo completed construction on their Rocky Shores exhibit I've wanted to go there. I'm not go to the zoo every week type of person but it sounded interesting. Additionally I thought that cousins and little kids would enjoy the experience also. So on September 3rd this year we went to the zoo. 

Yes, that would make our zoo excursion on a Labor Day holiday.  This small detail almost torpedoed my experience from the get go. One thing that I have somewhat inherited from my father is a dislike for hordes of people; especially attempting to park in a place with hordes of people. Let's just say that after a person scooted into a parking spot that I sat behind for ten minutes as a family got in; I was not the happiest person in the world. Fortunately Wendy and Debbie convinced me to stay.  I did end of having fun.

Wendy's brother loaned me his Canon Rebel for the excursion. (This might have had a small part of why I had fun.) I only filled up his entire card with pictures in the six hours or so that we were there. I did notice something interesting though when going through the pictures at home. It seems that I need to work on my wildlife/animal photography because very few of them made it off the cutting room floor. I do think that I did get a few good picture of the people who went to the zoo however.

Being introduced to zoo

Pointing out animals

WOA!!!

**avoiding making bad jokes about Debbie needing to leave the nest**

Seal swimming by

Requisite picture of myself - Wendy had to pry the camera out of my hands.

Getting ready "happily" for the seal feeding

Pacing on f the benches

For the next set up pictures I would like to introduce the principle of mirroring to you. 

What is mirroring?

Brushing back hair 

Applying Suncreen

No. I did not set up either one of those pictures.

No old enough for merry-go-round yet

Debbie excited to be at Zoo. Andrew...not as much

Elliot was kind of enough to show Andrew the zoo map.

Amy doesn't want Kevin to drink

I admit it. I'm a bird person. Going to the bird show at Hogle Zoo is always a highlight of my visit. Coindicentlly most of the pictures of animals that I kept also come from the bird show. For some reason I'm pretty sure that they are not very many people reading this who are surprised to learn this.

Waiting for Bird show - Andrew Zonked

I admit it. I payed to take a picture with the eagle.

Baby Blessing Family Party

Every big family event deserves a family party; Andrew's baby blessing was no different. The Stuart parents were kind enough to donate their house to the cause. A lot of other people brought good food. It appeared that people had a good time. I really had a good time. Kevin Ashton allowed me to play with his Canon Rebel for the entire night. I only took a couple hundred pictures.  Here are some the better ones.

Baby Blessing

Andrew officially was entered into the records of the church on September 2nd.  My mother made the blessing outfit for us. I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I wasn't involved a whole lot in the planning process for the outfit.  So when we tried on the outfit for the first time I was somewhat surprised to find out that it wasn't white. Wendy wanted to have an outfit that could be used for other things besides just once for a blessing. It makes sense to me; and it appears that there are not any rules stating that you have to have a a white outfit for a blessing.

This was also the first time that I've done an official priesthood action in public for one of my family. I admit to being rather intimidated by the whole idea of the baby blessing. Yes, I was nervous. It appears that it was obvious because several people after I gave the blessing asked if I was nervous. Oops.

Anyway. Here are some pictures of the child, his outfit, and some family pictures.

Andrew in Baby Blessing Outfit

Happy Blessing Day..or not so happy

Mommy and Baby

Outfit maker and baby

The Ashtons

Baby and Family

The Stuarts

Baby in the grass