Ems Turns a Decade.

My dear Emma turned 10. She is a sweet, endearing young lady. She is enthusiastic, expressive, loving, and kind.

She loves singing and drama; pot stickers and ice cream; tomatoes and cucumbers; lip gloss and reeses pieces minty gum and swimming. She dislikes cheese and yogart, itchy sweaters and chores.




She has great faith in prayer and in her Heavenly Father. She brings all of us great joy and brings much honor to her family by her good choices and her desire to do her best.



We are proud of her accomplishments, but mainly her good heart. We love you Emma.

Emma's Dream Comes True!

From the moment that she could communicate, Emma began entertaining our family, friends and countless of imaginary audiences. She has a very vivid imagination and can propel herself into any scenario and make it come to life. Before she could walk and talk she pretended to have full length conversations with us in which she would wow us with her witty personality speaking gibberish all the while and then cracking up at her own jokes. We still enjoy her sense of humor and she entertains us daily with stories about school and life.
From the first time she saw the 4th grade show she has wanted to be "Becky" in "Gold Dust or Bust" a play about the California Gold Rush. Starting last year she set goal to achieve the part. She communicated to her teachers that she wanted the part and began memorizing the lines for the audition until she could recite them in her sleep.
Her teachers, who know Emma to be quiet and very reserved in the classroom, were supportive but felt the part would go to a far more outgoing student. She was prepared for the audition and to her teachers surprise, she came to life as the character Becky. She was voted by her peers to receive the part for the show.

Emma had the support of her grand father, The Big Guy, and her aunts and uncles and cousins here in California and Utah. Thanks so much to The Coopers for coming out to support her performance. Special thanks to Natalee who helped curl the ringlets in her hair.

Emma blew us all away with her energy, her personality and her expression. The play was a great success because of all the performances, but we are especially proud of Becky

By the time the play was over we all knew her lines. Emma standing with her dear friend Jayden who also got the part of Becky for the other class. They both worked together to study their lines. Emma was in heaven.

Like Sister Like Brother.

Ems is a planner. She came out of the womb planning parties and activities, tea parties, craft projects, play dates, park days, princess balls, etc. She is all about the plan: brainstorming the plan, organizing the plan, implementing the plan, experiencing the plan. Her life is so dependant upon whether or not her plan is realized or foiled. It is either the best day, or the worst day. There is rarely an in between. I absolutely love that about her. Every day she asks me: "So what are we doing tomorrow mom?" to which I reply, most of the time, "We are doing homework and having dinner, relaxing and going to bed."

She is never impressed with my plan.

Don't get me wrong, I can plan. . .I just don't think that far ahead, generally, but Emma loves me despite my personal flaw. So Emma takes control of those things she can control. One such thing is what she is going to wear to school the next day. Since, first grade I believe, Emma has made the effort to choose her outfit and place it on her floor so she can roll out of bed and put it on in the morning. She got this from her father, like I said I don't think that far ahead.

Tonight she did the same thing she has been doing for two years already. No news to me. Every evening when I go in her room to tuck her in, she has her ensemble laid out flat on the floor, nice and even, like a little paper doll outfit,

Tomorrow's outfit

organized: top and bottom, belt and buckle, socks and shoes, jewelry too, until recently when she realized that Kiki Lila, our cat, was playing with it during the night and turning it into a big twisted mess.

What I didn't expect, was going into the boys room and seeing this:

These clothing choices aren't bad for yitta guys.

top and bottom, socks and shoes and even jewelry, spy the silver jeweled cross necklace that Will got out of a gumball machine in an Italian restaurant (I guess it is fitting that they would have crucifixes in their gumball machines.)And notice that it is perfectly paired with his Italian soccer t-shirt. (My friend Jeanne LaMonica would appreciate this) Notice Owen doesn't have jewelry, but he has his sword lined up so he is already to play the moment he wakes up and dresses himself.

Richard and I smiled.

Like Sister, Like Brothers.

New Years Day 2008 "The Polar Bear Plunge"

My Emma loves COLD. When she was little while sitting in the tub, she would sit under the faucet while cold water ran over her head, she never needs a coat, she loves the snow, snow cones, Popsicles, ice cream, anything that is cold. I call her my little polar bear. In fact this year she got a polar bear webkinz for Christmas from Santa--see even he knows my Emma loves the cold.

I have always heard about Polar Bear Plunges that happen throughout the United States including here in Southern Ca.(For all my friends who live outside of So Ca, I know we can't really call our plunge a polar plunge since our sea water is like tepid bath water to you guys, but humor me here, for Emma's sake) These plunges usually occur on New Years Day and usually benefit some sort of charity. So a few years ago, I told Emma that she should take the plunge because she is a polar bear at heart (with out the grouchy disposition). She was all for it, so for a year we would talk about taking the polar bear plunge together on New Years Day.

On New Years Day 2008 at 12:00 noon, we took the plunge.

There were all kinds of people there of all different ages: Swimmers and observers, participators and supporters, The Crazies and The Sane (Notice the pirate to the far right. He was equipped with a pirate flag, pirate hat, sabre and parrot strapped to his shoulder and to top it off, a speedo. Needless to say, he was mentioned in the OC register article.

A line was drawn in the sand, and we all stood behind the line pawing at the ground like race horses. Finally, the countdown, exactly 12 hours after we welcomed the New Year, 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1. . .and a mad dash to the Sea:

Notice Emma and I on the left and the Pirate on the far right.

Running because if your gonna do it, you got to do it fast. Why torture yourself with a slow, deliberate descent. Of course this is a matter of personal opinion, but to me it is only logical. It's like a band aid, you gotta just Rip It Off. When your taking the plunge, you gotta just hit the water, dive in and take the pain. The photo on the right was one I found on the website from last years plunge. Emma and I are on the bottom.

Getting closer, running, approaching

Here we are coming out of the sea. I can't tell if that is a smile on my face or a look of pain. Actually, it isn't that bad. on average the water temp is in the 50's. It is definitely an exhilarating way to welcome the New Year.

again, is that a look of joy or pain, pleasure or torture? sometimes there is a fine line.

However, we did feel triumphant!

A thumbs up to the medics to show I am still breathing and all is okay. Shall we do it again?

Why not! Yes we went out again. So it couldn't have been that bad.

A big thank you for Lily who recorded the event. She wasn't up for the swim last year but she is in for it this year and is recruiting her friends. This year we are doubling our swimmers: Lily and Will are joining us for sure. I tried to recruit my brother Rob but he reminded me that he wears his special seal suit in the summer. . .Oh yeah, I forgot. . . That's why we call him baby Robert. Just Kidding Rob (baby!)

So who is in to welcome 2009 with a dip in the sea? Any takers? Here is a link to the web site if your interested call me we'll caravan down together.