Car Troubles and Nuptials

Dear Blog,

Last Tuesday Heath, Juniper and I got in the car and drove to Utah. It was a long drive but Juniper took it very well. In fact she tolerated it much better than me and Heath. You see, we had no air conditioning. Luckily the Lord was thinking of us on the way back down and we were blessed with rain while driving through the desert.

The car started smelling and there was steam/smoke coming from under the hood but we made it.

While in Provo, we went to Sundance. It was beautiful and that water looked so refreshing.

And here is the groom, Mr. Tyler Pack. Heath and Pack would have chosen each other if me and Ashley (the new Mrs. Pack) hadn't have come into the picture.

This is Tyler's younger brother Kevin. Juniper adored him. As you can see in the picture, she couldn't take her eyes off him.

Heath looks so mopey and sad. Cheer up, Charlie...

The Wedding:

The famous trio: Steven Clayton, Tyler Pack, and Heath Wilcock

Sadly, they only see each other at weddings.

The beautiful reception. It was at the Library.

Juniper had fun dancing with Mommy.

Baby and the Bride

We had such a great time and we wish we could have stayed longer, and not just to escape the dreadful AZ heat but also spend more time with the wonderful people up there. Especially the Pack family. Hopefully we get to see you guys again soon.

Sincerely,

The Wilcock Family

A Delayed Update

Dear Blog,



I am sorry you have been neglected. We have been out of town and it has taken a while to settle back into the daily routine. I do have pictures to share with you but in the mean time, this is what Juniper has been up to a lot lately.




Sincerely,
Emily Wilcock

My June Bug is Learning to Fly

Dear Blog,

Juniper is really growing strong and she is also developing a fun and silly personality. She makes me laugh every day, just like her daddy. I think those two will be inseparable pranksters in the years to come.

Juni has been really working her abs (see below) and I can't figure out why she does it. When she sits she pushes her feet straight out and holds them there for long periods of time and does it over and over. There is no inkling that she wants to crawl but she does want to stand. She pulls herself to standing if she is strategically placed in front of something she can reach and wrap her fingers around. The past couple days she has been testing the waters by taking side steps and lifting her hands and standing without touching anything. So basically she's skipping steps. She doesn't crawl, or roll to get places and she can't push herself up to sitting but she's on the verge of cruising.

Each time I look at this photograph I can picture Juni in a sweatband

leading an aerobics class listening to "Let's Get Physical"

In other news, Juniper's hair is coming in fast. She is a brunette but it shines a light silvery gold in the sunlight. It is starting to wisp at the ends and I think she will have curly, if not very wavy, hair.

Also, Juni has been eating cheerios all by herself!!! Though she misses picking up the cheerio about 2 out of 3 times and misses putting the cheerio in her mouth about 4 out of 5 times she still has succeeded many times over. She's getting better and better and I'm very proud of her.

Juniper's journey to independence has begun and so has my test to see if I can prepare her well for that responsibility.

Sincerely,

Emily Wilcock

Obsessions

Dear Blog,

A realization I had today...

Is to

As

Is to

...I just thought you would like to know.

Sincerely,

Emily Wilcock

P.S. Don't you think that girl's poster is hilarious? Probably the worst play on words ever!

Modern Bird Studios Guest Giveaway

Dear Blog,

This is the very first giveaway I've entered. Maybe I'll win and it'll be like winning the lottery without the years of investment.

I would love to have a piece of, you guessed it, Juniper. What a great idea!
Modern Bird Studios Guest Giveaway

Here's to winning. Fingers crossed.

Sincerely,
Emily Wilcock

Heath for Hire

Dear Blog,

Heath's best friend, Tyler Pack, is getting married in 2 weeks! He lives in Provo, Utah so we have to drive up there. Money has been tight so we are trying to make some extra cash to make the trip.

There is an intranet at Heath's work, Arizona Federal Credit Union, for all the employees to use for miscellaneous purposes that are not related to work. For example, Heath posts about shows at National Comedy Theatre on the AZFCU intranet. When Heath got home from work today he told me he has put himself up for hire on the 'net at work in hopes to make a little bit of money. This is what he wrote...

There's a special event coming up and money is a little tight

within the Wilcock family. I would like to be hired to do anything you

are unable to do, or would not like to do. I have multiple talents:

I have painted kitchens, I have mowed lawns and trimmed hedges,

I have laid tile, I have done dishes for a busy BBQ restaurant,

I have done magic performances for birthday parties, teacher conferences,

and financial seminars. I have eaten multiple items: blood pudding, pig's

feet, ox tail, cow heel, and apples. I will give you a list of some of the

high demands and their prices:

-Magic performance (30 minutes) - $20.00

-Empathetic ears willing to listen (30 minutes) - $10.00

-Eat an apple (30 minutes) - $2.00

If you have any questions, or would like pictures of my feet, please let me know.

This is possibly my favorite Heath moment yet! Come on, you know you would love to watch him eat an apple (customer must provide apple). He really has done magic shows, though, and he is great! Book him for your next party. You won't regret it.

Here is a taste of Heath at his best

Sincerely,

Emily Wilcock

Independence Day (with Will Smith & Jeff Goldblum)

Dear Blog,

No, I did not spend my 4th of July with Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum, but I just couldn't resist adding them in the title. Since celebrities and fighting aliens were not fitting into our plans Heath, Juniper and I were lucky enough to go to Eager instead to spend the holiday with some of Heath's relatives. It was a wonderful time and the weather was perfect. It was the kind of summer weather I've always wanted: warm sun, cool breeze.

We started out the day by going to the 4th of July Parade on Main Street. I have not been to a parade in years and as pointless as a parade may be, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Juniper was absolutely absorbed. She didn't make a peep!

My favorite float was this RV that had political messages on butcher paper taped all over it. And it was pulling behind it a trailer with a very big long range gun. Small towns love there guns. I wondered how people there would react if there was a float by some Young Democrats (if there are any) at the local high school. Maybe the float could be the color blue with donkeys all over it and a sign saying, "We've had enough of McCain. Vote Democrat Rodney Glassman as Arizona's Senator." I bet it wouldn't go over to well.

These characters were too well posed to pass up a quick snapshot of them. I secretly wish I got to know them and hear their story because they seemed like wanderers. The idea of Alexander Supertramp does appeal to me on some level and so do these people.

The evenings were serene, made up of cool air, golden sunlight, food and conversation spent outdoors, just how summer nights should be. Mesa summers mean hibernation so this was a very welcome change.

Juniper in front of an Alligator Juniper Tree. I've been waiting for this picture for some time now.

That night we went to the old golf course in town to watch the fireworks, which I was impressed with, especially for a small town. I was not sure how June bug would take the show. She is very sensitive to loud noises but is always drawn in to sights and can't look away. She did very well. She was very interested in the lights and colors but fell asleep half way through. I wasn't expecting that since she has a difficult time going to sleep if other things are going on.

We had such a fun time with Heath's family and it was great to have a breather from life in the valley heat. I hope we get to do it again next year!

Sincerely,
Emily Wilcock

Today is a Perfectly Ordinary Day

Dear Blog,

Today while I visited cjane enjoy it (I know virtually all of us have been to her blog so I probably don't need to put a link there but just in case you haven't, there you go) I noticed the quote on her header by Anais Nin. It says, "We write to taste life twice, once in the moment and once in retrospection." I'm sure most of you have noticed it too but today I actually thought about it. I consider myself a very nostalgic person so I feel I really know what this quote was talking about. Anyway, I decided to read my past blog posts. I only got to March. More specifically I only got to this post. The video really doesn't get old at all and I shed tears again. I love it. Then I realized seeing that was quite apropos. Today is July 1st, meaning the 7th month-iversary of Juniper's birth. Nothing significant to others, I know, but now she is on the down slump of her first year. The video was such a lovely reminder that time goes so fast and to enjoy these ordinary days. I am thinking of making that video a part of my daily morning routine so I can start out each day wanting to soak in the moment.

Here is a fun video to celebrate this special day...

Yes, that is John Denver playing in the background. I have been on a John Denver kick for the past couple weeks. His music makes me wish I was Marty Stouffer, or at least watching Wild America (the TV show, not the movie with JTT).

I am glad to say I am very happy that today is definitely a perfectly ordinary day.

Sincerely,
Emily Wilcock