Winter Turning to Spring...

My friend Erin has this fun and interesting living room art project going on that involves her framing pics her friends and family have taken. There are a few stipulations regarding coordination with her wall color and a couple of other things, but I am determined to get on that wall. Ha!

Anyway, I've been practicing some nature shots lately...and these aren't my final submissions to her (I'm waiting on the snow to melt in the mountains to get some good GREEN shots) but I thought I'd go ahead and share.

This one is after a really beautiful snow we had here a couple of weeks ago. I drove way out of my way to work to get this...not sure which peak it is, but it's one of the Orquirrh Mountains just west of our house. I didn't do a good job capturing it, but the clouds, the snow, and the very blue sky were perfect that morning.

The following series of shots are of my neighbor's newly blooming peach tree in front of some rare, impending spring storm clouds. I think 'storm cloud blue' is my favorite color.

Can you guys let me know which spring tree one you like best? I can't decide...

-Emily :)

I'm Thinking of Making this a Series....

Let's call it..."Random Sightings from Emily's Office Window." Oh yes, it's so exciting.

This, my friends, is Utah governor Jon Huntsman being interviewed outside my building while on his way in for his monthly press conference at the public television station that's also housed in the building where I work.

I posted both pics because I can't decide which one I like better. Both show off his spectacular spray tan. But in one he looks like he's thinking way to hard. The other, he's almost flirting...maybe. Or more likely just dodging a question.

Although, I can't give the guy any slack after he was instrumental in pulling off the biggest revamp (read: modernization) of Utah liquor laws since the 1960's this legislative session. Pretty cool of a guy that's probably never had a drink in his entire life. For that, I say, "CHEERS, GUV'NOR!"

-Emily :)

The Last of our Winter Visitors...

My dad and Teresa came to visit us a week or so ago. It was really nice to be able to spend a bulk of time with them without any other Burrton-like distractions.

Helena had a great time with them...even learned how to say papa and Teresa (said to rhyme with pizza) to their delight. Ash & I both had to work the two weekdays they were here, so they had Helena all to themselves.

I have to say they were very adventurous in taking her places...somewhat more than I am sometimes! They went to the mall, Village Inn, Tracy Aviary, and on several walks and outdoor adventures. Helena also learned the beloved 'one more time' game from my childhood. Basically it's where my Dad would do a flip with us by holding our hands and walking us up his body, around his neck, etc. Me & my siblings would never want this game to end when we were little and thus the tricks were coined the 'one more time' game. She also had a good time playing the tunnel game her blocks and the cushions from the couch with Ash & my Dad.

Thanks for coming to visit guys! Hope you had a lot of luck on the second leg of your vacation in Vegas!

-Emily :)

Some Changes...

Ash started a new job this week. A little shocking, I know, since we moved 16 hours away from home specifically for a great opportunity with Wilson & Company. Ash has made some great contacts in the industry out here and one of them liked him so much they recruited him away. It was a very hard decision for him to make, but sometimes you have to go where the better opportunity is even though it's not what you had planned. And the company car didn't hurt either. He's working for a local construction company now as one of their main engineers in more of a project management role (can you tell I haven't asked him what his official title is yet?).

How the change affects me at the moment is that I am going to drive Ash's Cadillac Deville for a few months instead of the Grand Prix now that Ash has a new ride. I'm not exactly thrilled about this, since when Ash bought the car I was very clear that I didn't want this grandma car to EVER somehow become my car. But, in the interest of the family finances, for now, I will deal.

I will say two things about me driving the hoo ride:
1.) It's inevitable that I'm going to get a speeding ticket very soon. The caddy is much quieter than any other car I've ever driven, and it has a V8 engine. A perfect recipe for fines, my friends. Yesterday I'm driving along and I thought I was going about 65 m.p.h., but no, I was up to 85 m.p.h. Oops!
2.) I LOVE heated seats. And, it's nice that the CD player doesn't skip every 3 seconds (a quirk I'd unfortunately gotten used to in my other car). Oh, and Sirius rocks. I can surf between 5 different NPR channels at my leisure!!

So, for now I'll just keep track of the strange looks I get when people realize a 20-something is driving a car normally reserved for the retirement set.

-Emily :)

Milestones...?

Two things from today:

Helena is successfully learning the chicken dance. Oh yeah. We're working on the music video...

Helena also loves to wipe her own nose. So today I gave her a kleenex for her runny nose, quickly went into the other room to check something, came back and the kleenex she was wiping on her face was really, really, really wet. Panic sets in as I realize she dunked it in the toilet...

-Emily :)

Zoo Day

I've been a bad little blogger lately. Between having visitors and working a lot I just haven't had a lot of inspiration! This week I'll probably blame it on Daylight Saving Time.

My mom was here visiting last weekend. Helena really enjoyed having someone new to play with. And it helps when you come bearing gifts. We are now the proud new owners of a frog tent. Helena can't get enough of it. LOVES to try to lock Dill in it. I have to admit it's pretty cute. It's a training ground for real camping!

We also visited the zoo while my mom was here. It was a little chilly, but nice, because there were hardly any other people there. Last time we went I swear I've never seen so many triple strollers in my life.

Here's some pics from the zoo! Sorry they're scattered, I can't get them to line up how I want to to save my life.
-Emily :)