i know, i know...

I will be shocked to find that anyone even checks this blog anymore. If you do, I applaud your perseverance and thank you for believing in me - for having faith that i would one day blog again. You're faith has been rewarded - i blog.

A lot has happened since I last updated. Finley is an experienced crawler, who eats an enormous variety of foods (that don't just come in jars). She is pretty near to walking, and manages to stand for short periods (seconds) on her own, and cruises around along furniture with expertise. She is just as darling as ever, and makes us smile nonstop. We have had more visits from family, celebrated Finley's first halloween and thanksgiving, and look forward to her first christmas, new years, and (unbelievably) her first birthday in the coming weeks.

Enjoy the pics. and i will sign-off with a promise to update more frequently.

here is miss finn this very a.m. note the two little bottom teeth she is showing off!!

also earlier this morning...

also this morning...Finley has a new "cart" that converts to a pushcart, too. She walks behind it. we'll have to get some video and upload it.

just think this face is to die for. she is caught in the middle of blowing raspberries i believe.

our big girl. digging through her toys...

finley continues to love baths. this was her first in the whole tub. we had to move her out of her little tub b/c she refused to stay seated, and could use the ledges to push up to standing way too easily.

finley experienced her first real illness. after throwing up and a mostly sleepless night (for Mom and Finn mostly) paired with lots of crying, we found out that Finley had an ear infection. She spent most of the day cuddling with Mom and Dad, and napping. (here she is, having fallen asleep cuddling with Dad). Luckily, the meds kicked in immediately and after that one rough night and exhausted day, our little lady was back to her sweet and lively self.

mommy and Finn, playing before bedtime. such a ham for the camera she can be...

Papa came to town! He may have missed his reunion and another appointment, but got to spend lots of time with his favorite (okay, his only) granddaughter!

auntie heidi, finn, and papa just relaxing...

a happy girl!!

weather is getting colder...busting out the brand new jacket...

auntie shannon and uncles carl & pat came to visit! finny had so much fun with everyone!

miss finn, darling as ever.

finley's early crawling!! (now she zooms everywhere at lightning speed!)

Mr. & Mrs. Eric & Heidi Stone

Yet another couple of weeks after Carl and Shannon's wedding, we were on the road again. This time we were headed to the North Shore to see Heidi and Eric get married! It was a much quicker trip, this time. Auntie Alyse and Uncle Jeff rode up with us, which was great fun, and we had a quick and intense weekend up in Tofte/Grand Marais to celebrate the marriage of Heidi and Eric, who got married overlooking Lake Superior. It was MUCH colder than most expected I believe - but we overcame the night chills to have a really amazing time. Again - I'll focus on just pictures here! :)

Post-arrival...Finley cuddling w/ Gran, getting ready for a VERY late bedtime after lots of visiting and catching up with family...

The bride- and groom-to-be at the rehearsal dinner...

Rehearsal dinner: Sisters (Alyse, me, Heidi, and Kate)...

Finley and Daddy found some time for pool fun with Uncle Jeff pre-wedding; they had a blast!

Morning of the wedding, Heidi's women (minus Finley) went into Grand Marais for breakfast with the bride to be - we met up w/ our menfolk (minus Eric) afterwards... (Uncle Jeff & Finley, Auntie Alyse, me, Taylor, Auntie Kate, and Marc, with 'cousin' Indy and Auntie Heidi up front)...

it begins!!! Heidi and Eric, getting their picture taken out on the shore of Lake Superior pre-wedding...

So, we did some picture taking, too! :) Taylor, me and Finley pre-wedding. Sadly, Finley's outfit didn't make it to the wedding. There was a wardrobe malfunction (also known as her spitting up all over it). I was highly disappointed as I had been saving this dress for Heidi's wedding for EVER. She was still cute as a button... but wore red instead.

Family: Auntie Kate and Marc, Auntie Alyse and Uncle Jeff, Finley, me, and Taylor:

Me and the bride! (By this time, Finley was fast asleep and remained so all night after an entirely nap-free day.)

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Stone!!!

Mr. & Mrs. Carl & Shannon Ritchie

A couple of weeks after the family reunion, we headed out east to Asheville, NC, to celebrate the joining in matrimony of Taylor's brother Carl, and his (now) wife Shannon. It was Finley's first flight; went very well I thought. We were there for a very extended weekend, and were thus able to really enjoy the area, and spend some quality time with all the family that was there. We had an amazing time. Carl and Shannon had a beautiful wedding which sat as the apex of a weekend of fun activities and gatherings. The bride and groom were gorgeous, and so was their ceremony and reception. I could give a play by play but that would take an eternity, and I'd get sick of typing halfway through. So instead, I'll just post some pictures. Can't wait to see Uncle Carl and Auntie Shannon again soon!!! Congratulations yet again, you two!!!

The beautiful Bride and her lucky groom :) enjoying some delicious barbeque...

This was just one of the incredible views from the wedding site...

Taylor, Finley and I pre-ceremony....

Finley likes special occasions - if only for the ties...

Finley kicking back and relaxing with Uncle Pat...

We had an extra day after the wedding to check out more of the area, and decided to head out to Chimney Rock with Taylor's parents, uncle, brother, and some family friends. It was crazy hot and proved to be some exhausting hiking - but it was well worth it for the views. Grandma Linda wasn't too keen on climbing up Chimney Rock, so she generously offered to hike w/ Finny to the falls - a huge sacrifice considering the heat increase hiking w/ Finley in her baby bjorn...we hugely appreciated it. Thus the absence of pictures in which Grandma Linda and Finley appear here.

Taylor and his Uncle Bill up on Chimney Rock...

View from Chimney Rock...

Me, Taylor, Patrick, and Grandpa Tom up on Chimney Rock...

Again up on Chimney Rock - me and Taylor...

This waterfall provided a much needed cool-down once we had descended from the Rock. This is where Finley and Grandma Linda had ventured to while we were up on the rock...

Family Reunion

This summer we attended the Lindsay Family Reunion (Stacy's side of the family) - a first for Taylor and Finley. We had an amazing time. Week long vacation with immediate and extended family. It was Finley's first real big vacation. Lots of relaxation, time in the sun, at the pool, playing games, with a side of excellent food and superb company. Wish we could do it every year. We began the vacation with a VERY long drive to southern Missouri, with a quick break in Kansas City to see our friends Jenny & Kevin - which was a nice little treat. Finley did a great job considering we were in the car for over 10 hours in one day. Lets not dwell on the less fun parts of the trip though. Most of the vacation was happily spent OUT of the car! Instead of boring you with lists of our activities, I'll just provide a few fun pics. The trip was, in a word - Perfection! Can't wait 'til the next one - Finley will no longer be the youngest, as there were already a couple new little ones on the way!!!...

Early morning Departure - waiting for the elevator down to the garage....the adventure begins!

Taylor & Finley outside our "cabin", and Finley having a blast w/ her grandparents and aunties and uncles!

Finley and Papa - just chillin:

Finley getting ready for bed, hanging w/ Auntie Alyse, and taking in the beautiful day:

Gran and Finn - lunch time!

Daddy, Mommy, and Finley - relaxing on the front porch, and staying cool in the pool!

Last night out in Branson - Finley gets some Mommy kisses, and on our way out, cruising the boardwalk...

Shameful

Thankfully you cannot see my shamed face right now. I am cherry red with embarrassment. I have been a horrible blog updater. The good news is that my blog has been neglected at the expense of spending time with the lovely Finley - rather than the other way around. However, for the time being, she and Daddy are happily playing, so I have snuck off to provide a few much needed updates. No doubt a lot has happened in all of your lives since July 4th - and the same is true for us. We have traveled a bit for weddings and reunions, and been busy on the home front as well. So for the sake of my sanity, I will provide a few individual blog entries to cover some of the most memorable events of our summer (Lindsay Family Reunion, Carl & Shannon's wedding, and Heidi & Eric's wedding). Before I do that, though, I will provide a few candids of Finley and a brief update on our life these days. Taylor has just begun student teaching (hallelujah!!! the end is in sight!), after what seems like an eternity of night and online classes building up to this experience. In other words - he took his time getting here! :) In response, I have taken on a very goofy work schedule, but my job has been very generous in allowing for such odd and flexible hours. Thank goodness. But in all sincerity, it is such a delight to see Taylor suddenly heading to work in his chosen field - something he is very clearly happy about. Perhaps someday (one can dream, right?!) we will both have jobs we love. sigh. until then - more updates... The lovely Finley (one cannot forget about our heroine - I am sure you did not) brings us just as much happiness as before - and perhaps more, if that is possible. She is at that stage where she wants to get moving, but can't just quite yet. We are close to crawling I think, and she'll take a couple of (very) wobbly steps while holding our hands. And rolling - she just can't be stopped. Her talking, too, is progressing at warp speed. Suddenly we get less of the shrieking and more "indoor voice" babbling. She started with the dadadadada's, moved on to the mamamama's (which i loved!), and has now progressed onto the babababa's. Along with verious aaahh's, and eeee's, etc. It really is like she is speaking her own language, chatting with her stuffed animals and the cats about the latest gossip. Dogs still tend to be the source from which her belly laughs spring forth, but we get plenty of "everyday laughs", giggles, and smiles in the interim of her doggy dates. She is a voracious eater and has been a pretty good sport about everything we put in front of her. The newest addition? - a breakfast of oatmeal and fruit. So now we are up to three meals a day, plus her bottles. So to sum up - Finley has just turned 8 months old, she is a beautiful, happy, delightful little lady who makes for never a dull moment and is growing and changing by the minute. We are, as I have said before, incredibly lucky to have her in our lives.