The Longs

Cora turns ONE

2012-02-11T21:14:00.025-07:00

what a special day! our baby is 1...
we had a little family party for her with Grandma Nancy, Papa Steve, Great-Grandma Gail and Great-Papa Stan. here are some pictures from our day:

Cora was so glad that her buddy Cooper came. At one point he was out on the back porch and we found the two of them like this...

opening presents...Cora got some great new outfits for the summer (which she will be able to wear NOW because it is 80 degrees here these days!)

then it was on to cake and singing... i made regular and mini-cupcakes.
it was fun to watch Cora dive into her little cake and try it! she wasn't sure about it at first, but once she got a taste she LOVED it.

it is so great that we live near Geoff's mom and dad now. Cora cried when they left and was reaching for them to stay (so cute!!).

we had balloons all over the floor for when Cora woke up this morning and she played with them all day!

she was constantly on the go... we can really tell that she LOVES that she can crawl around and get to where she wants to go on her own.

the big gift Cora got from us was a new car seat... she wanted to climb right up in it and try it out! she sat in it for a long time and just played.

Cora Catherine is such a light in our lives.. we love her and have absolutely soaked up and cherished every minute of this year with her!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET GIRL!

p.s. tomorrow we celebrate Daddy's birthday.. February 11th and 12th will be a great two days in a row for the rest of our lives.

here's to a great year

2012-02-07T10:41:00.003-07:00

can you even handle this face she is making? this was taken Christmas morning after Cora got a panda blanket from Grandma Liza. many have told us that we need to submit this photo to the company that makes these blankets, with Geoff's arm possibly cropped out ;)!

every day this girl of ours makes us smile. both Geoff and I agree that this has been the best year ever...

-we had our first baby
-we bought our first car on our own
-Geoff finished school
-i'm VERY close to finishing school
-Geoff got an awesome job
-we moved out of our college town
that has been home for 7 years

we are so taken care of and are grateful for the bounteous blessings the Lord continues to pour down on us.

birthday week

2012-02-06T11:00:00.010-07:00

this is the week leading up to Cora's FIRST birthday and Geoff's 26th..

Can't wait to celebrate with these two!!

we're back

2012-01-25T13:09:00.002-07:00

things are finally settling down after the holidays and our move. at the end of our stay in New York for Christmas Geoff lined up an interview with Layton Construction in Arizona and got the job! we're so proud of him!! so we packed up and moved to sunny Arizona and have been here for 2 weeks now. there is so much to catch you all up on, but until then enjoy this video of Cora...

'tis the season

2011-12-13T00:40:00.007-07:00

This beautiful season would not be complete without seeing the thousands and thousands of Christmas lights up at Temple Square in Salt Lake City with family.

It was a FREEZING night, but we were all bundled up and I was especially kept warm with the baby bjorn strapped tightly to me and Cora barely fitting into it with the 3 pairs of pants I had on her, 3 shirts and then a jacket as well. What can I say??...I just wanted my baby to stay WARM. I can't handle her in this winter hat. TOO CUTE.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

hello horse

2011-11-25T22:17:00.012-07:00

we drove up to Heber to see the Fall colors a few weeks ago. we were a little disappointed that the colors were past their prime, but we did find this beautiful horse! we stopped and visited with him, Cora fed him my apple core, which she dropped as he reached out with his big lips (see pictures of this below...try to find the apple falling). i love how the horse was a good sport and seemed to pose for the pictures like he had done this many times before for passers-by like us!

9 months

2011-11-11T22:27:00.014-07:00

11-11-11
our baby is 9 months old!
what better way to celebrate than playing in the washing machine... ALL CLEAN!

at 9 months, Cora is:

-starting to crawl (a week ago she crawled 3 steps, but hasn't wanted to since!)
-taking 2 naps a day
-still nursing 5 times a day
-eating solids (her favorites are bananas, pears, sweet potatoes,squash, yogurt)
-picking up food with her little fingers and feeding herself
-drinking from a sippy cup
-sleeping 7 hours stretches at night
-smiling all the time
-giggling at peek-a-boo
-waving bye-bye
-a chatter box (no specific words yet, just mama and dada and a bunch of gibberish)
-getting lots more hair, especially on the sides and top, not so much the back yet!
-enjoying rough and tumble play with dad
-loving sitting and playing with toys all around her
-standing on her own while holding onto the coffee table

we love our big girl.
every day we are in awe at how much we love her and how much she blesses our lives.

1st halloween

2011-11-04T01:20:00.009-06:00

Cora is 8+ months now, so she will not remember this Halloween, but Geoff and I will never forget this one because it was our first one as PARENTS!

i couldn't wait to have Cora wear her lady bug costume (borrowed from my sister), so naturally she wore it all day, including our trip to Costco... which totally paid off because people got a kick out of her!

we took advantage of a random person's front yard decorations while out trick-or-treating and had a little photo shoot. it is so hard to get Cora to smile for pictures though, oh well! she is still so adorable. i love that she was checking out the tombstone (above) and then decided it wouldn't be hard to knock down (below).

we did our trick-or-treating with Cameron and Brittany. they have a great neighborhood for it and it was so fun seeing their boys dressed as Bert and Ernie!by the end of the night Cora was just done, Ernie's face was rubbing off, and surprisingly Bert was in a great mood (see picture above). luckily her dad was a lumberjack for Halloween and had a huge flannel shirt on to keep her warm and happy until Bert and Ernie were done knocking doors!there was something so fulfilling about watching our daughter participate in this crazy holiday we celebrate, even though she has no choice in the matter yet of what she will be for Halloween or didn't collect a bag full of candy... and i think this is because this is a kids holiday and i am no longer a kid, so i was able to enjoy it through her! i can't wait until we can talk up Halloween to her and ask her what she wants to be and watch her run to the next door to say "TRICK OR TREAT!"... what joy that will be when she gets it.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN.
hope you enjoyed our little LADY BUG.

sweater envy

2011-10-18T22:59:00.006-06:00

why don't they make this sweater in my size?

and we'd like to give a special birthday shout out to my mom. we love her and miss her!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY

pumpkin face

2011-10-12T21:46:00.004-06:00

we got out Cora's warmer clothes this week for the Fall and Winter. i love this hat, especially because Geoff's sister Stacie made it! Cora loves playing with this baby pumpkin.. i'm especially excited about Halloween because this is our first one to have our very own kid dress up. and the big announcement is....
Cora will be a Ladybug for Halloween.
can't wait to post pictures of her all decked out! we are borrowing the costume from my sister's arsenal of great Halloween costumes.

cora and daddy

2011-10-10T00:45:00.002-06:00

this girl loves her dada!

Cora's new favorite thing to say all day long is "dadadadadadada"
and she knows exactly what she is doing... melting her father's heart!

helmet head

2011-10-01T14:41:00.006-06:00

Cora loves her new toy!

we love seeing Cora's personality develop...

these pictures show that personality well:
picture #1 - curious. she is constantly babbling ("bababa" "mamama" "dadada") as she explores!
picture #2 - funny. she seems to know when she is being funny because she will have a huge smile on her face too!
picture #3 - chill. Cora likes to just kick back and relax with us. she is very good about just hanging out with us.
(i love her crossed feet! she is always doing this.)
picture #4 - happy. she is only fussy when she is tired or hungry, otherwise she is very happy and get's excited easily!

stop growing!

2011-09-21T22:49:00.003-06:00

dear Cora, please don't grow up too fast! i want to remember when you were little, when you needed me to help you sit up, when you weren't in 12 month clothes, and wearing shoes that you seem proud to have on... how did that happen? it has only been 7 months, but you have changed and grown so much!
love, mom

cora meets animals

2011-09-11T00:38:00.010-06:00

we have been to a lot of fairs with petting zoos and animal farms lately, and we love getting Cora up close and personal with the animals. she was terrified at first, but she seems to really love it now. a sign that she is loving it is her reaching out to pet the animals! she is so brave.

all animal farm adventures must start on a tractor

big girl sitting on a cow with cousins Cade and Connor

this pony approaching fast scared her a bit...

...but Cora quickly realized he was friendly as he sniffed her toes

goats at the Utah state fair. if you can't tell Cora is smiling!

feeding a cow

sheep...Cora was trying to figure out why they were covered like this, and so were we!

so brave petting the sheep...much different than her first up close and personal encounter with the pony above.

I love that Cora is meeting lots of different animals and it is so fun for Geoff and I to watch her!

anniversary

2011-08-19T22:15:00.002-06:00

can it be that 3 years have already come and gone? it seems like i have known Geoff forever. i'll never forget the first time we met... we were at Jake and Jenna Vela's house for Jake's birthday party in April of 2008. i showed up late because i had decided i wasn't going to go because of being bogged down with homework. Jenna called me asking why i hadn't showed up yet and that she had someone she wanted me to meet. after a little convincing i decided to go, mostly cause Jenna is a good friend and i also have a hard time saying "NO" to people. when i walked in the door i noticed some people playing rock band, and i happened to notice that the guy singing was really into it and very sweaty! i continued on into the kitchen where i found Jenna. she was talking with some people, so i sat down at the table and joined in. before i knew it the guy that was sweaty and singing came into the kitchen and was saying his good-byes. he introduced himself to me and we chatted a bit (i don't really remember what we talked about, but i remember it being very awkward cause he had just gotten home from his mission a month before). the one thing i do remember Geoff saying to me was, "you are going to fight my battles". i didn't know where that came from, but he caught my attention. I just said, "oh really!?" i remember thinking he was strikingly handsome, had a good personality, and a GREAT smile. i headed into the living room, feeling a little awkward from that conversation. he didn't follow me, but as he was walking out the door i decided it was getting late and i should get going too. on our way out the door he suggested we go on splits with the missionaries, because we had talked about me trying to get a job at the MTC and how he was just home from mission in Ohio, and as such he needed my number. i gave it to him and asked him to walk me to my car because i was nervous in the dark. he did and was a pure gentleman about it. thirty seconds down the road i hear my phone ring. i didn't recognize the number, but answered anyways. it was Geoff. he said, "i don't normally do this, but i think you are so beautiful"... i was definitely blushing all alone in my car and didn't know what to say. i remember feeling happy inside and very excited. he then said, "we should hang out on Friday." i agreed. so Friday was our first official date, a week later we let each other know that we were falling for one another, a month later we flew home to New York so he could meet my family (May), a month after that we were engaged (June), and two months later we were married (August). yes, it was fast, but we knew we were meant to be together. i could not be happier! i look forward to many many many more anniversaries together.

i love you Geoff,
Happy Anniversary

p.s. oh and by the way, Jenna never introduced me to the guy she wanted to set me up with and i am so happy she didn't because Geoff and i would not have talked at the party if i was chatting with that other guy. we had such a small window to meet each other because Geoff was living with his parents in Bountiful, UT (an hour from where i was living) and headed off to school in Idaho the week after we met. in my mind we were so meant to be because all of the pieces fell into place for us to meet, find out we liked each other and that we were compatible all in a short amount of time.

enjoying summer

2011-08-18T14:58:00.005-06:00

we have been really loving the end of summer here in Utah. Geoff and i were commenting on how beautiful it really is in Utah during the summer. sometimes when we think of Utah we only think of the dreary winters that seem the suck the life out of you. it gets so gray here and it's harder to be outside because of the snow and cold temperatures. the mountains spotted with green and the wild flowers (some of which Geoff picked and put on Cora's hat) really make summer time in Utah gorgeous. we are never really here during the summer and so miss out on the fun outdoor activities that Utah has to offer like hiking. don't get me wrong.. skiing (which is also outdoors) during the winter is the best here and is a major attraction for people from all over, but there is something special about a beautiful summer day up in the mountains of Utah. here we are in Park City hiking up a mountain-biking trail that winds around to the top of the mountain, crossing over ski trails as we climbed:

Cora absolutely loved it and did great on our 2 hour hike that Nancy and Steve showed us!

this is my new favorite picture of all of ushere is Cora today out on our walk around Cameron and Brittany's neighborhood. i have tried to take her out on a walk every morning for a few weeks now. she seems to really loves it outside and it helps that she can see out better in this stroller that Britt is lending us!

6 months ago

2011-08-11T12:58:00.004-06:00

our family of two became this:

6 months ago and we could not be happier!

Cora is 6 months old today.
She is so big sitting all by herself in this high chair at a restaurant. Sitting up on her own is her latest accomplishment and she is so proud of herself when she does!One of my favorite things about Cora is how vocal she is. She is constantly talking and it seems like singing at times, and just making happy noises that make us smile. She has started sleeping through the night again, which I am very grateful for. Months 1-3 she slept through the night, but for some reason months 4 & 5 she decided she would wake up every 3 hours. I'm glad that is over! She is very strong: she holds her head up off the ground when laying on her back, she loves standing, she rolls over, she does this side to side head swaying and will whack you in the side of the face if you're not careful, she sits, and she kicks you if you're in reach of her legs as she is laying down.

Here she is so big riding on Daddy's shoulders!
I cannot believe that Cora has only been with us for 6 months, it seems she has always been part of our family.
Happy half birthday to her!

cora meets cousins

2011-08-09T23:21:00.004-06:00

we made it back to Utah from California last week. we're staying in Park City with Geoff's parents at a cabin they rented for the summer. geoff's sister stacie and her family are here too and we are having a BLAST! cora absolutely loves kids and she just thinks these cousins of her are so funny! they know exactly how to make her laugh and smile. lately i always have a helper to grab me a diaper, help me change cora into her outfit for the day, grab cora toys, etc. i can't wait till cora is big enough to run around with these kiddos!

cora with jackson and chloe

lexi and cora

the twins, claire and chloe, with cora

it's too bad cora doesn't live closer to her cousins in Washington, New York, and Utah (well for now we're in Utah but not for long)

a day at the park

2011-07-25T20:01:00.005-06:00

the weather in California is incredible! just about 10 mins from where we live is a beautiful park called Lacy Park. we spent a few hours there just laying on a blanket with Cora, throwing the frisbee, and walking around the park.

for about a week now Cora won't stay in this position on her belly (see below) for very long. she is rolling from her stomach to her back and we celebrate every time she does it, which she seems to love!our time in California is coming to a close. i'm packing up this week as Geoff finishes things up at work. we have enjoyed our time here and we have especially enjoyed watching Cora change and grow since we first got here in May!

grateful

2011-07-15T10:52:00.005-06:00

there are so many things to be grateful for...

here are a few i can think of today:

-my family
-
-my faith
-
-my health
-
-my baby's health
-
-the sun that is shining
-
-my innate mothering abilities
-
-a loving husband who supports us
-
-the long walks Cora and I are enjoying together
-
-airplanes that get me from here (California) to New York
-
-Geoff's work ethic and the job that he has
-
-a smiling baby that makes us smile

i love this pensive picture of Cora.

i think it is so important to stop once in a while and think of all the things you are grateful for, to write them down even, and to express your gratitude to the One who gives us everything!

happy 4th of july

2011-07-06T11:08:00.007-06:00

Cora and i were lucky enough to celebrate independence day twice this year. once in New York and once in California. we just got back from a 3 week visit to my family in good 'ol Brewster. we sure did miss Geoff (daddy) though and i know he is happy to have us back as well!

Cora in her Red White and Blue. I love this outfit from Stacie (Geoff's sister). This was taken Friday the 1st when we had a BBQ and went to fireworks that evening.

sitting at fireworks with grandma Liza and cousin Olivia. the fireworks scared Cora a little bit so she and I got up and watched in the back as i held her tight and rocked her. she did like looking at the flashing lights though!

fireworks in California on the actual 4th. Cora fell asleep in the Bjorn with Geoff. Geoff turned Cora around when the show started so she could see because the loud booms woke her up, but as you can see below she fell right back asleep thanks to the much needed earmuffs that Geoff created with his hands!

big girl can...

2011-06-17T00:10:00.010-06:00

stand up, only holding on to balance

wear jeans and a normal little girl shirt

go swimming sit in the cart at Target with her cousin aubrey
be held by cousins that are 4 years old and younger
count on her fingers like this...our sweet baby cora is growing up so fast. she is 4 months old and getting more and more fun by the day!

new car: hot lava

2011-05-29T01:10:00.004-06:00

Those of you who know us know that we have been having car troubles with our Jeep Liberty for a while now. We have been wanting to sell it, but have been waiting for the best time to do it. Well.. now the transmission is about to go and it will be a $2,500 repair. This is the last straw for us, and now have found an excellent deal on this 2008 Scion XD:The best thing, in my opinion, about this car is how many miles to the gallon it gets compared to what the Jeep was getting. We will save tons of money on gas, and I'm so HAPPY about that. We are buying it from a guy at Geoff's work. The color (hot lava) will take some getting used to, but we could not pass up this offer and it just kind of fell into our laps. It is a huge blessing actually and could not have come at a better time. Geoff had not mentioned to this guy that we were car searching (which we have been doing for a week now) and he just randomly said to Geoff this week, "Hey, want to buy my car?" Geoff was like, "Yes!" which the guy was not expecting at all. We have been praying that something would just come along and it did. We were very diligent and vigorous in our search this week (going to many dealerships, looking on craigslist and cars.com, etc.) and I know that Heavenly Father blessed us with this car because of our efforts. We are going to get it on Monday and I cannot wait! It'll be fun to drive a stick shift again since that is what both Geoff and I learned to drive with.

life these days

2011-05-19T10:39:00.012-06:00

we have been in california for a week now and we are settling in to our life here for the summer. we found a studio apartment 5 mins away from Geoff's job, which is a huge blessing. on days i need to use the car i am able to just bring him to work in the morning. Geoff is getting settled into his job and the responsibilities he will be having. he leaves by 7:45 am and is home around 5:00 pm. while he is gone all day i hang out with Cora, which involves feedings every two hours, diaper changing, playing, cooing at each other, napping (Cora that is, cause when she is asleep i am doing my online BYU classes), and making dinner for when Dad gets home. my days really do fly by and I'm sometimes not jumping into the shower till 20 mins before Geoff gets home. I like to be somewhat ready for the day when he gets home, looking half way decent!

we are living very simply this summer. we only
brought the essentials (1 frying pan, 1 pot, a whisk, our blender of course - gotta have our daily smoothies, clothes, etc.) I swear we brought more stuff for Cora than for ourselves. we're even sleeping on the floor - we have those thick camping mats that are pretty comfortable (see pictures below). i'm really liking our simple life. i find myself being more inventive with dinners since i'm so limited with cookware, and being in a small studio apartment isn't that bad for a family of three. we just have one main room, a separate kitchen, a separate bathroom, and a walk in closet that leads you form the main room into the bathroom. the furniture you see in the pictures is from our grandma georgia out here and our aunt linda and uncle mitch. they have lent us their coffee table, a lamp, a bookshelf/night stand, and a card-playing table with 4 chairs. this stuff has really saved us and made it feel more homey. we are so grateful for family close by! the only struggle we have had with this apartment is the urine smell in the carpet from the previous tenants who had many many cats! febreeze has become my new best friend!!
we are definitely the minority here in San Gabriel (just outside of Pasadena). it seems the majority of the population is Asian. all the stores are even written in Chinese characters as well as in English. the first day we got here we went for a drive to explore the area and we were in shock to see Asians in every car that passed by, on every street corner, and for all the signs in store fronts to be written in both English and Chinese.
luckily we have a costco 15 mins away. that is a must! we were two of maybe 5 whites in the store the other day, the rest were asian. i had never seen a costco crowd like that before!
Cora is doing well. she was pretty fussy the first few days we were here. i think she could sense that we were in a new place and was a little out of her sorts. she is doing much better now. she gets cuter and cuter every day. i really love having her here with me all day. it would be pretty lonely without her!
i am feeling much better in my recovery process from birthing a child. it has been a pretty rough time for me, but I seem to be mostly healed now and I am enjoying working out again. I started P90X up again this week and it is kicking my butt! I thought it was hard pre-pregnancy, but now I am realizing how strong I really was before having a baby. my core muscles just are not the same anymore, but i can tell they are waking up. i'm excited that i am fitting back into my normal clothes again, it'll be good not to have to wear maternity pants anymore.
well, we are happy and settling in to a routine this summer. these three months will go quickly and we will be back in provo before we know it.
our Bedroom

Cora's Corner

the Kitchen

the Dining Room

the Bathroom

very simple, but just what we need for the summer!

easter

2011-05-04T00:27:00.009-06:00

dave and lisa (Geoff's brother and his wife) had us over for Easter dinner and an egg hunt this year. we had a great time and their garden was so beautiful that we took some pictures...you gotta love the "sun is so bright it is killing my eyes" shot
this one came out much better. we had lisa count to 3 and on three we opened our eyes. look how tiny cora looks next to geoff!
cousin cassidy and cora. cassidy was so sweet with her and so interested. cassidy will be turning 1 in a few days.
for the easter egg hunt geoff put cora in the baby bjorn. she loved it! dave, geoff, and i hid the eggs while ellie and mason hid in the house. since cousins cade and connor couldn't make it, ellie and mason had tons of eggs to find. they did a great job, but could not find one egg (hid by me) so i had to show them where it was. i can't wait till cora can run around looking for eggs in a few years!

motherhood

2011-05-01T23:25:00.004-06:00

we had a lesson at church today on motherhood and it really hit home to me since i am a new mom. we talked about "mothers who know..." from the verse in Alma 56 of the Book of Mormon where the 2000 stripling young men said, "we do not doubt our mothers knew it." These sons of Helaman had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them...
we made a list in class of things "mothers who know" do:
see here for full article

mothers who know bear children
mothers who know honor sacred ordinances and covenants
mothers who know are nurturers
mothers who know are leaders
mothers who know are teachers
mothers who know do less
mothers who know stand strong and immovable

Julie B. Beck really said it well in this article and I encourage all of you mothers out there and those that want to be a mother some day to read her words. i hope to always be a mother who knows. who stops doing the dishes or whatever daily task to take advantage of a teaching moment. who leads by the same example that Christ set for each of us. who filters the evils of the world that try to enter our home by bringing in more of the good the world has to offer and less of the bad. who nurtures in such a way that all feel loved and taken care of and special. who is the strong and immovable rock of the family that keeps everyone together for not only this life, but for all of eternity!
I feel that motherhood is a privilege and I am honored that I have been entrusted with one of God's children, to care for her, love her, and guide her back to Him. the almost 3 months of motherhood that I have known have far surpassed my expectations of what it would be like. everyday I am in awe. everyday I fall more and more in love. everyday I learn something new of how to take better care of her. everyday I feel blessed to be a mother.
Let's honor our mothers this week as we prepare for mother's day. tell her you love her. tell her you are grateful for her. tell her how she has changed your life.
My mother is my best friend. I hope to be just like her in the way that I mother my daughter. she is the most amazing mother I have ever met because she is a selfless mother who is always looking for ways to help her children and ensure that they are happy. I love my mother.

Cora's Stats

2011-04-30T16:37:00.003-06:00

cora catherine checked out to be very healthy at her 2 month check up. Here are her stats...

12.1 lbs = 90th percentile
24 3/4 in. = 95th percentile
18 in. head circum. = 50th percentile

we are loving every minute with her and just think she is the greatest thing that has ever happened to us.

Easter Sunday pretty girl

Sitting up so big in her Bumbo seat

loving bath time

family time

2011-04-20T12:28:00.004-06:00

we went out the other night and bundled cora up in this cute teddy bear ears sweatshirt. she loved sitting in the baby bjorn facing out with dad. the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom here in Provo so we found one to take our first family photo by.

i love this family of mine!

our 2 month old

2011-04-09T02:02:00.009-06:00

cora and i had a little photo shoot this morning...ENJOY!
Happy 2 months
we love you!

cast your vote

2011-04-02T01:59:00.017-06:00

Cora 1 day old

Cora 5 days old

Cora 3 weeks old

Cora 7 weeks old

Who does Cora look like?...

MOMMY???

OR

DADDY???

(Geoff is the baby on the right)

our girl

2011-03-31T11:47:00.004-06:00

7 weeks old tomorrow...

milestones:
-sleeps a long 7 hour stretch at night
-smiles when you smile at her
-cooing up a storm
-tries to hold a conversation with us
-holding her own head up
-grabbing for things and always kicking
-seems to know who her mom and dad are

we love our cora cat!!!

Splish Splash

2011-03-23T14:38:00.003-06:00

Cora loves bath time! she is completely content the entire time in the water and even makes cute faces like this after!

Getting out

2011-03-20T23:10:00.005-06:00

it was in the 60s last week so we went for a little family walk around the neighborhood. it felt so good to get out and get some fresh air. Cora wasn't too sure about it at first (see 1st picture) but she ended up LOVING it! she fell asleep with the bumpy ride, but would fuss every time we stopped. we went to the park near our apartment to throw the fisbee, but of course Cora wanted to keep moving in her stroller, so Geoff pushed her across the grass as we tossed the frisbee to eachother.. i could not stop laughing! it was quite the sight to see!

for 2 weeks in a row now we have gone to all 3 hours of church! Cora is doing great making it through all of the meetings. it is so fun dressing her up.. this outfit is a hand-me-down from my sister's two girls. Thanks Auntie Krista!!

big girl

2011-03-09T23:07:00.004-07:00

Cora is starting to smile at us! we definitely see a personality coming through. every day she feels bigger to me and that makes me sad that she is growing so fast! it makes me really want to soak in every moment i have with her.

daddy love

2011-03-06T23:59:00.007-07:00

geoff as a husband is amazing, but geoff as a father is the most incredible thing to watch for me.. he is so sweet with Cora and has the perfect touch to put her to sleep, calm her fussiness and make her feel safe. i have loved every moment of seeing him come into the role of being a Father! Sometimes i catch him just staring at her in awe with the most love filled eyes. I am grateful for his constant help, i could not do this parenting thing without him.

Love This Girl

2011-03-01T18:19:00.002-07:00

i just can't get enough of her!!!

Grandma

2011-02-27T14:18:00.006-07:00

It was so nice having my mom in town for 10 days! She was such a big help and we really miss her.

She will attest that napping with Cora is the best!

Daddy

2011-02-19T14:21:00.002-07:00

This sight will never get old to me!

Seeing Geoff as a father has brought so much joy to me this week! I feel a closeness to him that is different than before. We created something together that we both love and cherish so much.. being parents is amazing!!

Going Home

2011-02-18T10:42:00.003-07:00

Saturday night we dressed her in this outfit from Grandma Dorothy to leave the hospital in. It is a newborn size and she barely fits into it. Such a big girl!!

Best Valentine Present Ever!

2011-02-16T22:20:00.003-07:00

We welcomed Cora Catherine Long into our family on Friday the 11th at 3:30 am!
8 lbs 10 oz and 20 inches

She is such a good baby, barely cries, loves snuggling into your neck, sleeps 4 hour stretches at night, and has the sweetest disposition. We love her so much!

DUE TODAY!

2011-02-04T11:47:00.004-07:00

40 weeks

well, the date of Feb. 4th has finally arrived, but no baby girl yet! I'm feeling signs of labor like pressure, cramping, and the feeling that the baby is going to fall out! The doctor checked me 5 days ago, but was unable to see if I am dilated or not because of my cervix being posterior. I do feel like things are moving along though and we are hopeful that she will be here in a few days or maybe even TONIGHT!

projects

2011-01-27T12:09:00.009-07:00

Before:

after:

before:

after:

now i absolutely love this corner of the baby's room! the wonders of a little bit of spray paint!!! geoff was at it all day spray painting every little thing i brought to him. we learned a $3 can of spray paint goes a long way.

he sprayed these frames as well.. they were black and boring before. i taped off the striped white frame to the right and he sprayed it apple green. i took the tape off when it was dry and wala, a cute frame! now we just need pictures of baby girl to fill the green frames.
we got this magazine rack from DI when we first got married over 2 years ago for $2. spraying it apple green makes it AMAZING in my opinion! it will go next to the crib to hold diapers, or toys, or whatever we need it for. (didn't get a before shot, but you would be shocked at the transformation!)

our humble apartment needed a splash of color... thank you spray paint!!

2011-01-22T18:59:00.003-07:00

38 weeks

2 more weeks to go and i am feeling great!
The doctor says everything is on track, i am not dilated yet, but the head is down and i think she may have dropped this week... No more little baby feet in my ribs!!

THE END IS IN SIGHT

2011-01-10T14:25:00.007-07:00

36 WEEKS

OUR DUE DATE OF FEB. 4TH IS FAST APPROACHING! I'M STARTING TO SEE THE DOCTOR EVERY WEEK, WHICH MAKES ME FEEL THAT WE ARE VERY VERY CLOSE!

Baby Girl Long and her Mom

2010-12-10T20:47:00.008-07:00

32 weeks...

we are starting to set up the nursery! we have the crib up as you can see (thanks to Geoff's sister Stacie for giving her crib to us)!

Baby girl kicks me so hard I say AH! out loud sometimes! We get a kick out of seeing a heel poke out or an elbow.

I am feeling good, but it has been hard getting used to how big I am getting. There is no more squeezing through small spaces, like between shopping carts at the store.

I can't believe I only have 8 weeks left! The third trimester is flying by.. before we know it She will be here!

I'm getting and feeling BIGGER!

2010-10-29T17:17:00.005-06:00

Last week at 25 weeks...

Things that are getting harder to do:
1. Bend over and pick stuff up
2. Tie my own shoes/put socks on
3. Feel comfortable
4. Flip over to my opposite side during sleep
5. Get up from the lying position (my abs are so weak!)

Things that are now impossible to do:
1. Lay on my belly
2. Ride my bike :(...
(i loved riding my bike to school up until last week)
3. Not have back pain (meaning I have ALOT of it)
4. Walk up a flight of stairs without feeling winded

ALL IN ALL, I LIKE BEING PREGNANT BUT DO NOT LOVE IT! I am the type of person that LOVES to feel comfortable at all times, and when I do not I tend to complain a lot... poor Geoff, he puts up with a lot! We cannot believe that we only have 3 more months to go, we both were laying in bed thinking about that last night and were in SHOCK!

drum roll please...

2010-09-16T22:22:00.006-06:00

IT'S A GIRL!!

Geoff and I are very excited to have a baby girl and can't wait to start this next chapter in our lives!
We know that she will be such a blessing to our family.
I am 20 weeks today (5 months) and am due on February 4th. I can now feel her moving and kicking, and what is more exciting is the ultrasound today showed that she is completely healthy!

check out that profile... so cute!
she is about 7 inches long

california has treated us well

2010-08-09T18:51:00.010-06:00

Dinner at Olive Garden with the Tao family and Grandma Georgia... I could never get sick of this restaurant! I have loved getting to know our aunt, uncle, cousins and grandma on Geoff's side of the family.

Katie, Lizzy, Geoff and I...we've been able to see them almost everyday!

spending time with Grandma Georgia and Aunt Linda

we house-sat for 2 weeks and picked peaches from the people's tree in their front yard... we absoulutely loved it! We can't wait to have fruit trees and our own garden some day!

Every night we swam in Grandma Georgia's complex pool.. Geoff has been doing laps and is getting very good at it! He is up to 45 laps, and even hit 50 one night! It has been very impressive watching him become a strong swimmer and he even inspired me to start doing laps as well. I, on the other hand, have only made it up to 13 laps... swimming is hard! This is Geoff swimming below.

we went to the beach a few times Geoff always finds the coolest shells at the beach... but this time we went I was determined to find the prize of the day. well, I found this AMAZING crab!! It would have been even cooler if it was alive! I still claimed the win that day.

Graduation Day

2010-07-21T13:07:00.009-06:00

Back in May my oldest brother Tony graduated from Law School at the University of Utah. Mom and Dad, Krista and her 2 girls and Grandpa Tony were able to come from New York. I am so impressed with my brother and the fact that he survived the 3 years of law school!

Krista and Aubrey, me, Tony, Matt and Olivia
(4 out of the 5 siblings...we missed you Ryan)

Geoff, Grandpa Tony, and I after the graduation ceremony.
It was so great to show grandpa around Utah and where we have been going to school and living for the past 7 or so years!

Aubrey Grace
she is a doll and is such a character. Her adventurous personality and independence are fun to watch!

Olivia Rose
she is all girl! I happened to be in the right place at the right time to snap this perfect shot of her smelling a tulip. How precious!

I love my two little nieces and I treasure the time I get to spend with them because I don't get to see them very often. Spending the week with them and having my sister and these two little girls stay in my apartment for a few days was a blast!

Some love and congratulations for Uncle Tony! We love you Tony and are so proud of your accomplishments.

4th of July in California

2010-07-19T13:30:00.005-06:00

The first thing we did this independence day was go to church. we decided to indulge in the holiday and dress for the occasion!

then we put on a bbq and geoff ruled the grill. he did a great job making hotdogs (J-Dawgs style) and hamburgers. all who were present were grandma georgia, cousin katie and her daughter lizzy, cousins matt and emily and their friends. it was a great success, but unfortunately i did not take any pictures!

then we were off to see fireworks at the tree farm. we had great seats and it was a great show. this was the first time geoff and i went to an actual public fireworks show together. last year in Orlando we watched some friends set some off in the parkinglot of our apartment complex and the year before i was in new york planning our wedding.

our favorite fireworks this year were the chandelier looking ones, like this one.

we ate cherries and geoff sang the star spangled banner while we watched the show. i couldn't have asked for more!! i felt much gratitude for the freedom we enjoy as a nation and for the people who fight to keep us free.

Catch up...

2010-07-12T13:36:00.010-06:00

OUR TRIP TO ARIZONA
on our way to Geoff's summer internship in California we were able to stop in Arizona for the week to spend time with his parents. We absolutely love Arizona and Steve and Nancy's home there is like heaven to us. The week went fast, but here are some of the highlights...

One of the things I miss the most about Arizona are the sunsets. The outline of the cacti is gorgeous to me! I think the Arizona sunsets are breath-taking.

A few mornings i woke up to breakfast in bed.. Geoff is so good to me! This was one of his creations one morning. It was so delicious!

Attending an Arizona Tea Party was a first for us, and was quite the experience! Sitting through 4 hours of rallying with Steve, Nancy, and Geoff was hilarious because we all gave each other looks when someone would yell out something ridiculous from the crowd!

Sheriff Joe Arpaio was the key speaker and after 4 hours of him not getting up to speak the crowd started to chant "Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe!" The Hulk showed up, which was very exciting too! (see below)

My favorite was this security guy dressed in costume!

spring showers

2010-04-28T12:51:00.004-06:00

Our Easter Outfits

Today is a very rainy day in Provo Utah. The flowers and trees are in full bloom and as they say "April showers bring May flowers". Geoff and I have been out enjoying nature these days. One of our favorite things to do is throw the frisbee at the park a block from our house. The other day we actually brought the golf clubs, a frisbee, a basketball, baseball mits and a baseball. We then played with each of these sporting items! It was a blast and it felt good to be outside. I have my terrible allergies under control with the 24 hour pill called Zyrtec. It is saving my life! We love the spring time, it is our favorite time of the year!!

Good Friends, Good Times

2010-04-23T13:06:00.004-06:00

the Beesons came down to Moab the second day we were there...

Melody and Erin

Ben and Geoff
The two main arches we saw were this arch, the Landscape Arch,
and the Delicate Arch. This is as close as we could get to the arch because
the middle of the arch continues to break off and it is getting thinner and thinner.
Who knows how much longer it will be standing...so I'm glad we were able
to see it before it's gone!

Moab: arches national park

2010-04-18T00:16:00.004-06:00

balancing rock

Climbing through this narrow gap was scary, yet exciting!

Once I saw Geoff, Ben, and Melody all do it,
I knew I needed to as well!

Since visiting Arches National Park a few weeks ago I have come to appreciate my surroundings more fully. We are so blessed to live in a place that is beautiful and pleasing to the eye!
Taking time to stop and appreciate God's creations helps me to feel of his love for me. Spring has arrived here in Provo and the blossoming flowers and trees a quite a sight to see! Unfortunately, I have developed allergies to these blooming wonders and have been miserable for almost 3 weeks now! . . . itchy throat, runny nose at times, completely clogged nose at times, watery eyes. Luckily I have a very caring and thoughtful husband that made me a very very hot bath filled with vicks vapor rub. For a good two hours I could breathe through my nose again and it was glorious! I always took breathing for-granted until it has been very hard to do for not 1 or 2 days, but 3 weeks! I must simply try to enjoy the beauty and not think of the discomfort it is putting me through!

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!

2010-03-25T19:46:00.004-06:00

Camping in Moab last weekend was a blast! The best part of the trip was exploring Arches National Park. I never knew the overwhelming beauty that I was missing out on! The hike and then rounding the corner to see the free standing Delicate Arch changed my life! I am so grateful for the love of God, because that is what I felt as I sat and soaked in the incredible rock formations on thousands of miles of untouched land. We look like ants as we stood under the arch with arms outstretched! If you have not been to this national park I highly recommend it!! For the next few days I am going to share more of the 125 pictures I took and the fun that we had!

change is good...

2010-02-05T17:51:00.008-07:00

BEFORE:

AFTER:

And Geoff's Reaction:

a cup of joy

2010-01-30T23:26:00.004-07:00

hot chocolate warms my soul. it makes everything better. i average about 2 cups a day these days, i even crave it! i don't think it is an addiction, not yet anyways. we have a teapot that warms the water up to the perfect temperature which makes the experience that much more enjoyable. we try to keep at least 5 different kinds of hot cocoa in the house at a time. i love changing up the flavor every cup i have. if you are feeling cold, sad, overwhelmed or even happy then come over and join me for a cup of delicious hot chocolate!

a new year...a new start

2010-01-28T18:45:00.002-07:00

well, we disappeared from the blogging world for five months, but we hope to be back with a new start and determination to have a fun, up-to-date blog that will hopefully bring joy to your lives and help us track our experiences in 2010!

...Summer Update...

2009-08-22T15:58:00.000-06:00

Well, what can I say, I am not a full-fledged blogger yet, but I do want you to know what the Long's have been up to this crazy Summer! This is all very random, but this is what we have done....

I was volunteered by the Bishop to be a leader at Youth
Conference for the Florida Stake we live in. The youth put on
a carnival for the primary children and their families, Geoff
came to say hi after a long day of work.

I went home to New York to surprise my dad for Father's Day
and to spend time with my sister Krista and nieces, Olivia and Aubrey.

Olivia turned 2, which was also a big reason I went home!
Everything Elmo... what an amazing party it was!!!

Olivia is concentrating very hard on her new kitchen set,
while wearing her new custom fit apron.

Olivia and I had a blast playing together and...

I got to know 6 month old baby Aubrey a little better.

BUT.... while I was gone for a week, the reality back in Orlando was...
Geoff really missed me!
(this was actually after a very rainy day of selling and he was soaked through all his layers,
so he decided to lay down and relax on the warm side walk outside the Vela's apartment! ha!)

So, we decided to do some fun stuff together...

One Sunday evening we walked through Down Town Disney.

We found some friends, danced and fell in love! You have no
idea how much Geoff makes me laugh!!

We went to Universal Studios with....
...This wonderful family! (the Robbins/Velas)

Waiting in line for the Simpson's Ride. Geoff screaming on this ride
almost made me pee my pants cause I was laughing so hard!

Going to the Beetle Juice show might have been our biggest
mistake of the day...
Jenna and Jake's faces tell it all!

The Jaws ride was pretty cool... what made it even scarier
was the little girl in front of us who feared for her life and
screamed the entire ride, with Jenna trying to tell her the
shark was dead and then it continually popping out of the water again! haha!

My handsom husband in front of the Simpson's Ride.

The sharing of a Turkey Leg ended the evening!

The BIGGEST , most IMPORTANT event of the Summer happened just 3 days ago...

AUGUST 19, 2009
The Long's hit 1 year of MARRIAGE!!! And what a joyous year it has been!
We both agree that it has been the best year of our lives. I have the most
wonderful, hard-working husband who treats me like gold and loves me
unconditionally. What more could a wife ask for?! I love him with all my
heart and could not be happier!!!

Our anniversary morning started off with Krispy Kreme donuts

and Starbucks hot chocolate...

In the evening after Geoff finished work, we went to the most
delicious restaurant called Houston's. Our appetizers were to
die for: Spinach Dip and Grilled Artichokes! Then came the
meal: we both got the Ribs, which came highly recommended.
Then for dessert, Geoff had a surprise for me that he had been
working on with my mom for a week. 1 year ago, we froze the top
tier of our wedding cake. The tradition goes that you eat your
wedding cake again on your 1 year anniversary. So we froze ours
thinking we might do it. I honestly had forgotten about it, but not
my thoughtful husband! He had my parents overnight the frozen
cake in tupperware with ice-packs surrounding it. It safely arrived
at Jenna's doorstep the day before our anniversary. I had no clue
about any of this! I really love surprises and this was one of my favorites!

We fed each other a bite, just like we did 1 year ago, but this
time the cake was not as delicious! A cake that has been in
the freezer for 1 year tastes like it has been in the freezer
for 1 year! BUT, I'm so glad we at least took a bite and will
have this memory forever!

YUM!... 1 year old wedding cake!

So, here's to us, and 1 year of being happily married! We have learned a lot and have
stood by each other through the good, happy, stressful and hard times (which are few)...
We have lived in Rexburg Idaho, Bountiful Utah, and Orlando Florida. We, The Longs,
were established 19 August 2008 and will be together throughout the eternities!

Still Here

2009-07-27T14:56:00.000-06:00

We are still living in sunny Florida!
Five more weeks to go! We hear August
is the hottest, most miserable month
yet so we are preparing for that.
Geoff is doing well with his sales,
but thinks Utah sounds so good
right now! I agree with him!

sundays are a special day

2009-06-06T15:43:00.000-06:00

Everyone told us that Sunday would be the best day of the week and let me tell you, IT IS! It is the day we look forward to and get through the week by thinking of. It is the only day we have the WHOLE day together... to go to church, eat good food with friends and each other (you gotta love the after church run to the fridge where all the left-overs are taken out and weird combinations are made), to swim in the pool together, go for a walk together, take long naps together. . . the key word here being TOGETHER! Well, tomorrow is Sunday, it didn't come soon enough, but it will fly by in the blink of an eye.

eating nutella and strawberries at the Reimers

swimming and giving love to good friends

The chicken fights were bound to begin with
the group we had at the pool!

Nicco and Rob took Geoff and I down after this
head to head chat between Rob and Geoff!

Stayin Active...

2009-06-05T19:14:00.000-06:00

The Orlando Temple is a quick 20
minute drive from our home.

Our Friendly Neighbors in Orlando

2009-06-03T18:48:00.001-06:00

This beautiful bird sat on this log, wings spread for a little while.
I think it was posing for us to take a picture. After I snapped
the shot it flew away.

A grey heron that seemed to be doing a mating pose.

A stick bug... now this was cool.

Turtles in a row.

We got up close and personal with this alligator as we kayaked down
a river where he lives. Geoff even touched his tail, which he did
not like at all!

We live next to a family of possums. They aren't the cutest creature,
but Geoff loves them and even declared, "I come in peace", before he
touched this one on the face!

The Drought Is Over

2009-05-28T20:13:00.000-06:00

Well. It is time. I vow from this day forward to update my blog on a regular basis. You have my word.

O.N.C.E. U.P.O.N. A. T.I.M.E.

2009-05-02T12:33:00.000-06:00

Erin the Dress-Up Queen meets...

Geoff the Carrot Tempter...

Two weird children made a pretty normal couple!

O.U.R. S.T.O.R.Y. B.E.G.I.N.S.

2009-05-02T10:54:00.000-06:00

erin is from New York and geoff is from Washington. you may be wondering how two people from opposite sides of the country met... The magical land of Utah brought them together, where thanks to good friends they ran into each other and fell in love! It has been an amazing adventure thus far for erin and geoff. Right after marriage and a quick honey moon it was off to school in Idaho for a semester, then back to Utah to work and save money by living with geoff's parents, then four months later moving to Florida for a summer of success in security sales. The Longs have been on the GO GO GO but are loving being together and learning the joys of being a family...

2009-04-09T22:40:00.001-06:00

hi. i'm erin. and my husband is geoff. this is our blog. welcome.