Quick Update

-Our camera took a tumble and is no more.  Hence the lack of pictures.  I'm trying to figure out how to upload from our flipcam. . .
-Esther is almost 9 months old!  She is mostly delightfully happy, giggly, and playful, but she is also starting to exhibit some demanding tendencies.  Mainly when it comes to food.  She whines and is quite huffy if she feels I am feeding her too slowly (id not a continuous stream).
-Esther has 4 teeth, crawls, stands, waves, and claps.
-Our house had a big week.  Granite counters were installed Monday.  We retrofitted our old counters into the apartment kitchen.  Also, we put in a new Ikea Farmhouse sink that is not backwards (hooray!) and enormous.  I can wash a cookie sheet or high chair tray so much better because they actually fit inside the sink.  Love it!  We put in a glass tile back splash, and we* finally  installed a light in the main floor bathroom (no more lamp on the toilet), and put in a mirror and a better sink.  We* redid the bath walls in the apartment bathroom because there was some water damage and it was just nasty.  We keep telling ourselves we'll be done remodeling.  
*"We" in the Crittenden household is often used as a euphemism for "you."  As in, "honey, why don't WE make a delicious dessert tonight." So, when I write "we" it really means Chris was the workhorse while Esther and I did our best.  

-I was moved from Beehives adviser to YW Secretary...probably because I am so meticulous and organized. Ahem. Either way, the young women at church are great and it's fun to work with them.
-Stake conference was last week and Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy and his wife Kathy visited. It was marvelous!  After living away from Utah/BYU for so long it's been a while since I've heard a GA speak in person. They were so relaxed, unpretentious, and inspiring.  Elder Jensen is the church Historian and he spoke about the significance of context.  Initially I thought it was an odd choice: context?  But he talked, in short, about the importance of knowing as much as we can about the past and future so that we can be more successful in dealing with the present.  The scriptures, temples, and prophets are all tools to give us that context.  Chris and I left feeling more motivated to be in the temple and to listen to the prophets. We also came away loving Elder and Sister Jensen and the positive energy they shared with us.

Lonni's visit

Lonni (cousin) and  JoAnne (ward)

While Chris was spending two weeks in Seattle starting a new business (aah!) I was lucky enough to get an unexpected visit from my amazing cousin Lonni Leavitt-Barker.  She used to be a reporter in Raleigh and came back for a reunion of sorts.  At the time, her roommate  was JoAnn Goodwyn who is now a church friend of mine.  Small world!

Thanks for the visit Lonni!

Thanks to the Goodwyns for a yummy dinner!