Where does the time go?

For those of you keeping count, we have three nieces and one nephew. Our adorable nephew Ezra is three today! I can't believe how big he is getting, and so smart! I love talking to this cute boy, I can't imaging having greater conversations. My sister Allie and I were telling him how cute he is one time and he said in return, 'you tell me I'm so cute, but really I'm just a boy.' Kills me every time! I love modern technology that allows us to see him all the time through iChat and Facetime. This has been such a crazy year, I don't really know where the time has gone. It's so wonderful to get a chance to watch our nephew grow up and measure time based on his life, it helps me to simplify my life - if that makes sense. I hope that Ezra knows how much we love him, how much we miss him when we're not together and how much our lives have been enhanced because of him. We are so blessed as we watch our family grow and change. I look at Ezra and I can't wait to have kids and hope they are just like him!

Someday we will tell him stories of what a silly boy he was, we will always treasure the moments we get to be his Aunt Erin & Uncle Matt.

So, a happy third birthday to Ezra. We love you so much and can't wait to see you!

Why we adventure

Matt and I love to go on  adventures. When we say adventure that means that finding a particularly complicated address can be an adventure. None the less, whether the adventure is big or small, we love them! This weekend we went to Boise for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl where our Aggies played Ohio for the bowl title. We lost 24-23, but the trip was still so worth it. 

This little weekend getaway was just what we needed. We went to the game, saw 'Sherlock Holmes' and enjoyed the nice drive to and from Boise.

We took our little digital camera, but forgot to put the battery in the camera - yep, we're awesome. So, we just took a few photos with my camera phone. It's a beauty ;)

Simpler Times

 I was helping mom decorate the Christmas tree this weekend. It's always wonderful to go through all those ornaments that mean so much to us as a family. You could pick any ornament off the tree and one of us could spout off a funny, and sentimental, story about how it ended up on our tree. Mom has kept ornaments we decorated in preschool, shellacked with glitter, sewn together with yarn, painted by numbers, with our smiling school photos stuck in the center. Mom places these trinkets on the tree with love and we giggle about the intricate work our little hands created. 

Christmas is a sentimental time for us. I was driving the other day and 'I Believe in Santa Clause' by Kenny Rodgers and Dolly Parton came on the radio, all of a sudden I was back in my grandma Margo's kitchen watching her cook. I teared up and felt the love we all do around this time of year. 

With all that has gone on the in the last few months, I know I'm thinking about when life was less complicated. Allie was the one to put it so poignantly while looking at one of her hand-made ornaments, 'that was a simpler time, I would go back there and stay.' Despite hard times, we have grown closer as a family. Yes those were simpler times, but I think these times are much better. We have discovered who we are and what is most important to us. These tough times are certainly what define us in this life.

I love Christmas time with family!

P.S. Ivy is doing great!! She is so strong and cute!

A little of this...

The past two weeks have been full of ups and downs with our new little niece, but I am happy to report that she is doing so well! I haven't seen her for a week, and I can't wait to see her this weekend! We got our family pictures back from the amazing Sharon Johnson! They are so awesome - but you will have to wait to see them. Blogging has been put on the back burner for the last little while, but hopefully it will make a bit of a comeback in the new year! Happy December tomorrow - let the holiday festivities begin!
Ok, maybe one little sneak peek...

Big Miracles Come in Small Packages

Our new little niece Ivy was born today. She was 1lb. 4 ounces and [about] 10 inches long. My baby sister was only 25 weeks and 4 days along when they did the C-Section this morning at 8:49 a.m. Al had been in the hospital since Thursday with Preeclampsia, and her blood pressure wasn't going where we needed it to today, so the doctors decided the conditions would be better for Ivy outside the womb.

She is such a fighter - both her and her momma! This just goes to show that our Heavenly Father is watching out for us all the time - we are so blessed to have her in our lives! I got to see her for a few minutes today, she moved when I talked to her - it was amazing. 

My sister went through this day like a champ. When the doctors were in talking to her I opened the door and stuck my head in, she immediately looked at me and said, 'EB, stay out.' I know she did this more for my benefit than hers, at that moment little sister became the older than me. I could see in her face that she was surpassing me in knowledge and experience. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful family! I love my sister with all my heart and now we have a new member of the family to spoil!

Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes and prayers, they certainly have not gone unanswered! Our family has grown, not only in size, but in strength!

Veterans We Love

On this Veteran's Day I would like to thank all of those wonderful people who put their lives on the line for me! So, it is very fitting that I'm having dinner with two of my favorite veterans...

Tien & Tyler Lindsay!
They just got home from a year deployment and I'm so excited to hang out with them! I am so blessed to have wonderful friends!
I am also thankful for my Grandpa Wilson!
Isn't he cute?

He is a true American patriot! I'm so proud of him!
A big, hearty thank you to all those serving in the armed forces - we would not be here without you. We are eternally grateful for your sacrifice.

Book Club

We love our new ward - well, we've been there since July, but haven't really been here enough to get to know people until now. The Relief Society has a book club, so I thought I would join in. We read 'The Hiding Place' by Corrie ten Boom for our October book.

It was fantastic! I've never been a huge reader, but I still loved it. My brother and sister could always sit down and read for days, but I didn't have the interest - or the attention span. But, lately I have found some free time to get back into some things that I used to love, and reading is one of those forgotten pastimes (along with crafty things and cooking). I'm really loving this 'me time' thing I've got going on. 

I was a little hesitant to dive into this book, mostly because it's about WWII - I knew it would be sad. But I also knew that I wanted to participate in a book club for once and read books that weren't assigned to me in school. So, look at me, choosing to read and actually finishing a book. Yay me!

'The Hiding Place' does take place during WWII, and it does have some sad moments, but is still completely uplifting. The conviction and love of the Lord shoots through this book. Corrie looks terror in the face and still finds a way to gain peace through faith and forgiveness.

I highly recommend this read.

Fall Shows We Love!

Love <3
'2 Broke Girls'

Max & Caroline are two accidental friends living in Brooklyn, working at a run-down diner. They also aspire to own a cupcake shop - Max makes excellent cupcakes and Caroline has a keen business sense (thanks to her formerly-weathly past).

This show is hilarious! I love the dry wit of Kat Denning (Max) and clueless-but-not sass of Beth Behrs (Caroline). They work well together and the supporting cast is fabulous!

*must watch

'Whitney'

When I first saw the previews for this show I thought I would hate it - Whitney seemed particularly annoying. But, I have to say that after the first episode I was hooked. Whitney has great timing and I absolutely love the supporting cast, especially her boyfriend Alex. It's great to see an ensemble cast keep up with the title character. 

I have to say for the first time in years that this show might be my new 'Friends.' Yep, I said it.

*must watch

'Pan Am'

All I can say is beautiful! From the costumes to the make up, sets, cinematography - it's just beautiful! And I love that the situations portrayed on the show are based on real Pan Am happenings. The actors work well together and the story premise is great. It's obviously ABC and gorgeously made.

*watch

'Once Upon a Time'

The double lives of fairytale characters - I love it! The Evil Queen has created a curse that has transported every fairytale character to the real world where time has stopped and no one remembers anything. The only one that can help is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming - Emma. I must say that I wasn't sold with the first episode, but the second and third really got me hooked.

 *watch

'Up All Night'

 You can't go wrong with Maya Rudolph, Christina Applegate and Will Arnett. I'm just sayin'.

*watch

Shows we are still loving after multiple seasons of awesomeness:
'The Office'
'Modern Family'
'Bones'
'Castle'

Shows we wish were still on:
'Accidentally on Purpose'

These are the five shows I've added to my watching roster - I hope they stick around! I think they're worth a watch - let me know what you think!

Tempe

Have we mentioned how wonderful it has been to have our little puppy? Tempe is an almost-five-month-old black lab. It took Matt about 6 months to pick her out. We were so lucky to snag her from a breeder in Oakley.
She makes us laugh every day! I can't tell you what a help she has been to us during these stressful months - she is just the best girl ever! We took her to get spayed yesterday and I cried a little when we dropped her off, we love her so much. But she came home all ready to play, it seemed that major surgery didn't faze her in the slightest.
She is a big part of our little family. It's amazing how this puppy has work her way into our hearts, we're just a couple of softies for this baby.

Here are a couple film photos I took last month of our girl, Tempe! And, for those of you wondering, she is named after Dr. Temperance Brennen from the TV show, 'Bones' :)

New York on Film: Part 1

Matt and I went to New York for our anniversary this year - June 18. We had a wonderful adventure, we love adventures! So, I promised you could see the photos we took with our film camera! 

Here you go!

And We're Back

    It's been a tough couple of months. Changes, changes and more changes. I really wish there was a button we could push marked, 'Everything is great, keep it just the way it is,' but as always we must push on and learn from it. I don't want to bore you with the details, but since you last saw us on the blog we've moved, had big changes at work, bought a dog, and found out we're going to have another niece! Now, these are all the fun changes I'm talking about, but that's not to say that they don't bring a little stress and strain - minus the new niece part, we're extremely excited about that one! Stress from moving, I never knew how much stuff we had. Stress from changes at work, don't get me started. Stress from buying a dog, we looooove her so much, but it's like living with a newborn and a toddler with really sharp teeth in the house (don't forget that I said we love her, she's our little baby!). 

    Tempe is our puppy, she's now 4 months old and so full of energy. I just know she looks at me and thinks, 'you are so boring.'  But I try to stay as exciting as I can in her eyes, she already thinks that Matt is the greatest thing ever (well, I don't blame her). I find myself talking to her like she's a person, yesterday I asked her what she did all day ;)

    This photo is about a month old, she is so much bigger now.
    We're also slowly getting our film developed from our trip to New York. Here's me with the Manhattan skyline behind.

    Here's to lots more blog posting now that life is getting back to normal.

    E

Long Time No See!

   It has been such a crazy time for us! This summer is flying by! We had such a wonderful time in New York City this last week. I made a little video, and just a warning, these photos and video were taken with our little point and shoot Sony camera. We didn't want to take the big digital camera with us, it would have been one more thing to worry about. We did take the film camera and those shots will be coming soon.

Enjoy!

Untitled from Erin Anderson on Vimeo.

What we Love About Film

   I really didn't know what I was missing when it comes to shooting film. Matt and I were on the fence about taking the film camera to New York, but after Matt saw the film photos I had developed today he said, 'We're definitely taking film to New York!' I really fell in love with these shots. There are more to come, including some of a guy on a motorcycle.

   One of my favorite flowers (I think my absolute favs are Peonies)!

   Mom and dad's puppy Toby - we love him!

Photos and More Photos

   I've been pretty busy lately with four grad shoots and one bearded man shoot within the last week. I have photos coming out my ears - or at least my hard drive! I've had such a great time incorporating new things I've learned, and I'm pretty sure I'm getting better. Anyway, I hope you all know that all the royal photos I put up last week collectively equal our photos of the week. 

   Well, less than 50 days till our New York trip! We are so excited we can't stand it! We'll buy our Broadway, Mets and MOMA tickets today, plus a fun NYC travel book we saw at Hastings on Friday. Warm weather is coming on fast - the sky was so beautiful for my photo shoot with my baby sis this weekend! We had a great time! Here's a little preview!

   Happy Monday!

   E