The Big 3-Oh!

Nathan had his 30th birthday at the end of August. It turned out to be a really fun day. Emily cooperated enough to where I could make Nathan a really yummy cheese cake he just loves cheese cake. Here is the recipe if you would like to try making it:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp flour
Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350. With mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy; gradually beat in condensed milk until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; mix well.
2. Toss chocolate chips with flour; stir into cream cheese mixture. Pour into crust.
3. Bake 35 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool and top with glaze. Serve chilled. Store leftovers covered in fridge.

Chocolate Glaze: In small saucepan, over low heat, melt 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips with 1/4 cup whipping cream; cook and stir until thickened and smooth. Immediately spread over cheesecake.

It is the tastiest cheesecake recipe I have ever tried. Super rich, but it is his birthday only once a year.

For his birthday dinner I made him steak, garlic mashed potatoes, and sugared carrots. After dinner the 3 of us hurried out to Kent to the drive in movie theater where we saw Despicable Me and Toy Story 3. It was so much fun, and really worked out great with Emily because I held her during the first movie, fed her and then Nathan held her during the second movie. Just really chill and we didn't have to hurry back because of the baby. I really hope that Nathan had a fun birthday because I really had a fun time.

Newborn Photo Shoot

When Emily was about 2 and a half weeks old Jennifer Wilcox, who did my maternity shoot, did Emily's newborn pictures. Unfortunately Emily did not behave very well, and pretty much screamed the entire time. We did get some really cute pictures though. We had a lot of fun doing these pictures and the one with the bow was my idea and it is just adorable. Here are some absolutely adorable pictures of our wonderful baby girl:

At the very end of the photo shoot when we put her clothes back on she calmed right down and took some pretty funny shots. The photographer had to put this weird headband on.

This is the someone just took my binkie out of my mouth look.

Cute little toesies

Our cute little family

This is the only pose that worked, and it turned out really good. She is our little gift from God.

Blessing Day

The day after Scott and Kirsten's wedding we blessed Emily. She behaved wonderfully, and I wonder if that is because the wedding wore here out. She snoozed the whole night until it was time to get up and go to church. She looked so cute in her blessing dress that Sister Jones made for her.

When Nathan was blessing her he first named her Maija Lisa which is an honest mistake because my middle name is Lisa, but he caught himself and named her Emily Lisa. The blessing turned out wonderful we had quiet a bit of Nathan's family there, and my sister and brother-in-law were here from Texas. What a perfect day.

Emily in her blessing dress

Grandma Gray made Emily beautiful jewelery, and Auntie Anja bought Emily a gorgeous pearl bracelet because pearl is her birthstone.

Grammys and Grampa got Emily the cutest little heart necklace to remember this special day.

Wedding Day Bliss

Nathan's brother Scott got married on August 7th to a cute little spunky, fun loving, sweet girl named Kirsten. It was such a wonderful busy day. Little Emily did so well at the wedding. Actually she slept the entire time, and I mean the entire time from the time at the temple clear through to the reception that night. What was wonderful too was that she slept for 8 hours that night as well. Weddings are so much fun and it was especially fun for us because I got to experience again what Nathan and I had done a year earlier. The reception and luncheon were a lot of fun. Good food, beautiful decor, and wonderful company. Here are a few shots from the day:

4 generations!

The Gray Family

Snoozer baby

Our eternal family