Pictures!

Basically I've been the worst photo updater other than Whitney in the history of blogging. Sorry. Here are some photo updates. Way back two months ago, Katharine was this many:And then way back one month ago, she was this many: And in a little over a week, our little baby will be a year old! Katharine! Where has the time gone?! All our readers who are scrolling down to find the comment button in order to make some witty inquiry whose basic meaning is 'so when are you going to start trying for the baby boy?' can just hold their horses and explain to us how to get this last one sleeping through the night--among other issues--and then we will discuss when we'll try to get Justin some back-up.

This was the lovely bouquet Justin sent me for our anniversary. And I did not say anything remotely like "Call that a surprise, do you?" or whatever he said I said.

Eli's Sleeping Beauty dress. Kudos Grandma Patti.

Julia's apple-picking outfit. And she wore her pumpkin socks since they got one of those, too.

Eli's first day of Joy School. To whom could not a face like that bring Joy?

Katharine playing peek-a-boo. She folded her arms during a prayer today! It was so sweet. And she begs to have her teeth brushed when the big girls do. And she learned to stand and to clap almost simultaneously, so she gives herself lots of encouragement. She is such a doll.

And now a few pics from our trip to Utah, in rather mixed up order. We'll take them as they come.

My parents' only grandson and only other grandchild other than mine: Jace Chapman. Last time we were in Utah Eli and Jace were mortal enemies. They got along much better this time, perhaps because Jace's parents are training him up to be James Bond, and Eli fancies herself a princess. Here's Jace cutting her a rose. We went to my youngest sister Chari's last soccer game of the year (it wouldn't have been if they'd won). Julia and Eli, not accustomed to the etiquette of high school sports, went running down to the field as soon as it was over and plopped on either side of Chari for the team after-game talk. This not being egregious enough--though it was plenty embarrassing for Chari, apparently--Julia ran over to where the kicker from the football team was practicing his field goals, grabbed the footballs, and started playing her own little game with them. Jini, who was too busy snapping pictures of these shenanigans to intervene, finally drug Julia away.

My dad was plumb wore out with all the fun. So was Katharine.

Opa and the Collings Girls.

Watching the tube with cousin Jace.

The ill-starred trip to the sand dunes. This was Eli before she realized she was surrounded by acres of sand.

Nin and Katharine.

Chari would try to tell you this picture is so awesome because of the model. I'd say the model of the CAMERA. Chari.

Here's Chari, showin' off her guns.

For some reason my dad gets great joy out of seeing his daughters pit their brute strength against one another. One time it was all out wrestling, but the time Caci, the ruffian pictured here, broke my nose on the edge of the couch, we decided not to do that again.So now we mostly do arm-wrestling. I knew with all my hauling of hefty Katharine I'd totally waste everyone.

My mistake.

Gabe and the girlies.

I just had to try it....

Not Chuck-E-Cheese's, Justin's brother Jared's basement! Lots more where that came from, but we didn't take pictures of it.

The girls had lots of fun with Grandma. She loved her surprise visit.

The girls loved having princes around! Jacob was Julia's, Andrew was Eli's, though they both still swear they're going to marry Daddy when they grow up.

Evelyn, who has a mighty big thing for shoes.

Katharine and her headband.

Dinner after the picture fiasco.

Handsome man, Joshua.

Justin's mission president, Dante professor, and Julia's middle-name sake, Madison Sowell.

Jacob and Emi.

Julia and Emi. Lots and lots and lots of fun! Thanks so much, Fams!