We're hosting another murder

Tonight we will be hosting our second murder mystery party.  This one takes place in an Italian Kitchen.

N will be going as a vineyard owner named Rocco Scarfazzi.  He's stoked to wear his pin-striped suit and fedora.

I will be playing the role of Tara Misu, Roccos' former maid and now fiancee.  Apparently I have feminine wiles. 

And some appropriate hair.  Check out the wig I bought.

It is called the "Used Car Salesgirl Wig."  I can't even tell you how excited I am to wear this thing. 

Pictures will be coming.

Nature Scares the Living Tar Out Of Me

The summer before my freshman year of high school we moved from our house in town to a house miles outside of town.  At the time, the area we moved to consisted of a gas station, our housing development and another one up the road.  It's safe to say I've come into contact with nature more than I would like to. 

One of the first things I learned, while getting my driver's license was if you see a deer in the road, stop because that little deer is a scout and others will follow.  I cannot tell you how important that little tidbit of information has helped me over the years.

Since moving into our house, I've learned to tolerate frogs and N will go to extreme measures to find and remove snakes.  As much as I've learned, there are certain encounters with woodland creatures that you can never prepare for.

Last night Zoe and I went to my mom's house after our church's Harvest Party to show her our loot.  Plus Zoe was spending the night since today is an early day for our house.  I kissed Zoe goodbye, shut the door and walked to my car.  Mind you, it's pitch black outside.  What do I see near my car?  A mamma moose and her calf.  Honestly, I almost sharted.

Those creatures are huge.  Since a mamma was with her calf, you can't get too close because she might charge. 

There is nothing that will get your adrenaline pumping faster than seeing a 700 pound moose watching you, measuring your every move while her 400 pound calf is climbing up a tree to eat.

Unless, of course, you're driving to work on October 29th and you see that it's snowing.  I'm actually not sure which is scarier.

Yee-Haw and Howdy Partner

Tonight is our church's annual Harvest Party.  It's also the one place we take Zoe for some trick-or-treating fun since going door-to-door freaks her out.

I think our little cowgirl is using method acting to get into character for tonight's fesitivities.

Not only does she have the stance, but she also has a really great joke.

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Yah
Yah Who?
Are you a cowgirl too?
She's going to be a natural at breaking the ice!

Gourd Puzzles

Last year, after the patch, Zoe wanted nothing to do with the pumpkin carving.  She was more into the big spoon I was using to scoop it out.  Until she got a little guts on her toe.  Then the entire kitchen area was dead to her.

This year she had a totally different mindset:  pumpkin seeds are her friends.  She requested that she have her painting shirt on.  In Sunday School that morning her teacher (aka Grandma) was teaching how we have junk, like pumpkin guts in us when we don't share or hit your friends.  God doesn't want us to have junk, so we have to take it out with His help.  Then you carve a cross in a pumpkin and let the light shine through.  Or something like that.  She's very clever.

Zoe was well prepared for the "junk" as she called it.  Which is reassuring that she's listening in Sunday School and not running around with a ladybug doll and screaming like she was two weeks ago.

We put on her painting shirt and got to work.  We cleaned the dirt off the pumpkins and posed a bit.

Then we decided that we really didn't want to work on the BIG pumpkins yet, just the "teensy" ones.  Since she was already dressed for painting, she thought that's what we should do.  So we did. 

Then she saw me hacking into the BIG pumpkins and wanted in on the action.  It's like buried treasure in there with all them seeds.

Then even seeds couldn't keep her attention.  She ran, got a flashlight and wanted to see the pumpkin all lit up.

It wasn't too long before she saw another opportunity...

...afterall it is just a big, 3-D puzzle waiting to be completed.

The Pumpkin Patch...Or Where We Got Lost For the Better Part of 35 Minutes

This year I decided we could grow our own pumpkins and make special memories that way.  It would be like a pumpkin patch in our backyard.  Then we hit arctic temperatures and the pumpkin vines turned black.  I'm pretty sure we lost our crop this year.

So, in what has now become a family tradition, we went on a trip to the pumpkin patch.  We've had limited success with each visit.  The first year Zoe, while in a Baby Bjorn, puked in the corn maze.  It's actually a memory we all still talk about.  Since I was the one the Baby Bjorn was strapped on to, I have a different memory.

The second year we didn't get to take D & E because of rain.  So N, Zoe and I got lost in the corn maze together.  It was also the year I had great ideas to hollow out small pumpkins to line our walk for the 7 trick-or-treaters we got.  Then I learned you need a hacksaw to get into those "teensy" pumpkins and teenagers really don't care if the walk is lined.  They care about candy.  LOTS of candy.

This year our family was complete.  The sun was shining and the rain had stopped.  Zoe still wanted to bring her umbrella after the whole Oregon Zoo Drench '09.  We apparently didn't learn our whole lesson from Oregon because we came without the umbrella.  And scarves.  It was like -30 degrees with the wind in the pumpkin patch.  We sat the girls down for some food and told them they had 10.6 seconds to find the perfect pumpkin because it was cold, our noses were running and my cheeks chap in the wind.  For good measure I said told them Santa wouldn't come this Halloween if they didn't do as we asked. 

They apparently think I'm full of lies because this is the pumpkin E found:

She can't even lift the darn thing.  Then D found this:

She couldn't lift hers either.  On one hand they did find the perfect pumpkin in less than 10.6 seconds, but it took another 20 to hoist those gourds up in the cart.

Zoe on the other hand was looking for the perfect "teensy" pumpkin.  They have a whole area just for teensy pumpkins.  I made sure they were big enough to carve or at least paint.

With all the pumpkins to be found, we dropped our loot off at the car and went back for some more Patch fun in the corn maze.  We love this particular farm because they have a huge cornmaze that weaves its way to a castle.  Plus it's called a "Safari Maze" because there are huge animals throughout.  We stopped for a family picture shortly after we started on our journey. 

Do you see how happy and hopeful we all are?  This is exactly 25 seconds before we did our first loop and about 35 seconds before we realized we'd see this particular corn before.  It was 40 seconds before both D and I thought we should use the cheater gate to the castle because we both like to be princesses more than explorers.

The whole maze leads you to a castle.  You weave through some corn, then you weave through some bushes, then through some more corn and then to the castle.  It's all very exciting because you can see that castle for almost the entire maze.  Which is also the frustrating part.

At one point we got so lost I started taking pictures of the corn so I could have some visual reference of where we were.  I also thought about what Smoky the Bear said, "hug a tree if you get lost in the woods and there is a forest fire."  Maybe that was McGruff the Crime Dog.  I'm not sure.  I knew that type of advice would come in handy during our 40 minute nature walk through multiple paths in a corn maze.

That was until we came across this beautiful creature of the Pacific Northwest farmland.

Zoe is totally in love.  She growled at this lion, wanted to pet him, name him and bring him home.  She may be the future Steve Irwin.

As I contemplated having to tell her "no" the lion couldn't come home with us, we saw it.  THEE path that led us out of the wild farmland and into a fairytale.

All our princesses took their prince to the top.  They wanted him to find the way out, through the pirate ship.  You know, these farmers don't like to discriminate.

After a few slides down the pirate ship, we said "ahoy" to the patch.

That was, after we bought some Slinkies from a local vendor.  You know, nothing says "pumpkin patch" like a Slinky.

Girls Night Out, Also Known As When You Eat Food As Big As Your Head

After the wedding it was time for more of my people.  I went to college in Salem, made some amazing friends and every 9 1/2 years we get together.

So it had been entirely too long.  I may have been a little excited and began preparation for our night out about 8 weeks in advance. 

These are two ladies I grew to love after 4 years of living in dorms and trying to write papers explaining the Holy Trinity.  Brooke and I were business majors together and Sarah was an education major we grew to love as one of our own.

We had 28 1/2 years to catch up on over dinner, so we ordered food as big as our heads and got down to business.

We chatted about life, love and how the waiter was cute until he forgot to bring Brooke her drink.  It was 5 hours of perfection. 

We all brought our cameras.  Sarah and I have been practicing how to get rid of the double chin in self portraits.  Apparently her praticing totally paid off and mine left something to be desired.

At least until I was standing up and no longer using my go-go gadget arms to get the best shot ev-ah.

Thanks girls for some great conversation, fellowship and sticking with me for the last 9 1/2 years.  It feels like no time at all has passed.  Except that you are both more amazing then I remember. 

Love ya girlies.  Can't wait for the next time.  It'll be before 9 1/2 years.  Promise!

The real reason for our trip

After all the lessons in water, we decided to focus on the real reason of our trip to Portland:  our people. 

First up was Dad B and Sharon, or Opa and Oma as we've been known to call them.  Dad B retired and they moved closer to family in Vancouver.  They have a fancy new house and we had to go check out the guest room because you know we'll be back!

Oma made lunch, while Opa gave us a tour.  It was a little sparce on furniture because they sold their couch to some really aweomse people (us).  As a special surprise, their new furniture arrived while we were havnig lunch.

It was great to see them settled into their own place and starting the next chapter of God's plan for them.  I'm not going to lie, I got a little choked up saying goodbye.  I miss them something fierce.  Fortunately they are only a few hours, a river and a waterfall away.

Not to mention they have lots of stuffed animals and some of them even giggle.  Be prepared Oma and Opa, we will be back!

After we left their house, it was off to the wedding of our cousin Gary.  According to my cousin Don, the groom's dad, we witnessed "history in the making."  We arrived downtown at The Old Church for the ceremony.  I heard from a very reliable source (my friend Jamie) that this place is THEE place to get hitched in Portland.  Apparently it books out years, not months, in advance.  I was a little excited to see this place.  It didn't disappoint.

This was the only picture I got from the wedding.  I can assure this is THEE place to get married.  It is all things gorgeous.  The bridesmaids each wore a different dress in autumn colors, the flowers were bright oranges and yellows, the bride wore a beaded, sparkly, ivory dress and the candlelight made the whole place absolutely romantic.  To say it was gorgeous is an understatement.

Unless you're two.  Zoe stood on the pew and kept asking, "Wiggles coming?"  She thought we were at a Wiggles concert.  When she realized the guys weren't coming to perform The Shimmy Shake, she tried to blow out the candles from the back row.  We ducked out a bit early to roam the church and check things out. 

Then we heard clapping and ran upstairs in time to see the pastor introduce Gary and Sage. 

We got our coat, ran outside to see some family and so Zoe could blow spit bubbles (one of her many talents).  Plus she had her umbrella because after the zoo that morning she was convinced we were going to get stuck in another downpour.

Poor thing.  The zoo scarred her for life.

Maybe that's because she didn't get to see The Wiggles and she needed a new trick.

Three generations of drenched rats

If we had any theme for our trip to Portland it was water.  We threw rocks in the river and saw a waterfall.  We also got to experience God's other water.

On Saturday morning we got up to sunshine.  It was a gorgeous Oregon morning.  We decided to head to the Oregon Zoo to see some animals and to walk around for a bit.  We had plans in the afternoon and decided that some time in the morning, doing something just for Zoe was in order.  Plus she loved the Point Defiance Zoo so we thought we were golden. 

We were!  We dropped off our things in a locker and headed out to see some animals.  We really wanted to see some tigers and elephants.  We got the map and started off toward the Asian Elephants section.  Notice how eager she looks.

On the way we saw two seal lions and a sea otter.  Not to mention an invisible pig.  Can you see him in the picture?  I was there and now can't see him.  They really are invisible.

Since we didn't come to see an animal we didn't even know existed, we decided to head to the elephants.  We felt a little drop of rain, but thought nothing of it.  The sun was shining. 

We were glad we did.  We got to see an elephant, which is my favorite animal ever.  Zoe loved it too.  She kept yelling "rrrreeaaarrrr" like she was one of them.  They stared at us and then went to the pool to water off.

We headed to a little field next to them with statues of animals.  I'm sorry to say, but this is the closest we got to even seeing a hippo.

Because the flood gates of Heaven opened up and we were stuck in a full-on thunder storm.  We ran into a cafe, but the rain never let up.  If you've never been to The Oregon Zoo, then I'll inform you that the elephants are the farthest point from the exit. 

And any shelter. 

We ran over to the sea lions, which were covered.  The rain never let up.  We figured we might as well just run back to the entrance and risk being wet.

At this point it really didn't matter because we had little, black rivers of mascara running down our cheeks that had turned clear. 

That's right, we were so wet our waterproof mascara didn't even stand a chance.  Aren't we lovely? 

About half the way back to the store Zoe saw someone carrying an umbrella.  For the final 500 hours of the jaunt back to the entrance, all we heard was, "there's an umbrella.  We need umbrella.  A blue one!"  It was like she was sent to remind us just how wet we were. 

We made it back to the store and she got her umbrella.  A ladybug one. 

Isn't that the cutest drenched girl with an umbrella? 

We headed back to the hotel for a little recovery and dry clothes. Unfortunately for my mom she stepped in a puddle that went deeper than her foot, she she didn't dry off completely. 

Then it was off to spend time with our people. 

A Waffle No Wait, She's Saying Waterfall

The next stop on the way to Portland involved stretching our legs at Multnomah Falls.

Zoe loved it.  She thought it was "awesome" to see water falling from the top of the mountain.  The whole way to the falls she kept saying "let's do it."  In the picture below, I was blissfully unaware what "let's do it" meant.

Apparently being below the falls wasn't good enough.  We needed to hike up the trail.  While she sat on my shoulders and saw all the leaves.  It's only 0.2 miles to the bridge, but add 32ish pounds on your shoulders and it feels like a hike up Everest.

I had just told her that we couldn't go into the falls.  See how sad she looks?  No going in the river earlier.  No going in the falls now. 

Apparently "let's do it" means swimming in God's pools.  In the middle of October. 

I was able to distract her from her need to dip in the falls with leaves.  They were the size of her head.  We collected several on the hike down. 

She loved them so much she had to sit in a wet pile and play. 

Until we mentioned shopping.  She took the leaf the size of her head and went looking for a shirt to remember our hike.

Since you can't wear your swimming suit!

The Trip Where We Experienced All Kinds of Water.

This weekend my mom, Zoe and I headed out to a wedding in Portland.  Our cousin was getting married on Saturday.  We thought that was a great excuse for a road trip and, what ended up being, packing in almost a dozen people within 48 hours.  We like to stay busy!

The first stop was in Richland so my mom could see her friend Sandy.  They met in high school during their secretarial class.  It has been over 30 years since they've seen each other.

She offered to meet us at a great, local restaurant in Richland called Sterlings.  If you're ever in town, it's a great place for some grub.

Zoe wolfed down a waffle, some ice from her water and a piece of toast.  Then she was ready for a change of scenary.  We headed to the waiting area and saw these.

Zoe had to take a picture of the pumpkins she loved to kiss. 

I preferred a picture of her with the pumpkins.  Well, I love to kiss her, so I see where she gets her picture subjects from.

You can only have so much fun with a pumpkin before you get bored.  Fortunately the restaurant was a block away from some water.  The Columbia River to be exact.

Zoe grabbed her Diego binoculars and we were off.  You never know when you're going to have to rescue a condor or a whale shark in the Tri-Cities.

With the season turning, we had a great view of God's creation.  I think I could've sat there all morning just in awe of His paintbrush. 

A toddler has a different kind of appreciation for His creation.  She preferred to sit on the bench swing and look at all the puppies walking by.

I can only sit and swing and look at puppies for a short time and asked if she wanted to throw rocks in the water.  Zoe wanted to get her swimsuit, get in that big pool and play.  We had a quick lesson on the difference between a pool and a river.  Then we headed down to the water.

We spent hours finding a "good one" and chucking it into the pool river. 

That was until grandma and Sandy came to get us.  It was time to head onto the next leg of our trip.  The waterfall.

Mainly how you can't actually get in it, but you can get some pretty cool leaves.

I should get hit more often

A couple weeks ago I was in a minor car accident.  I took my car to the shop yesterday for a new bumper.  The lady from the car rental place came to pick me up.  I got one of these to drive.

I am in love. 

I also secretly wish to get hit more often if these are the rides the insurance companies are going to give me. 

They are rushing together

N just started his sixth quarter of school.  For the previous five he's been asked to join the Ima Really Smarta Fraternity.  Okay, I'm not sure that's really their name, but it sounds good.  He gets an official letter after each quarter.  Because he's not sure if they host Mt. Dew keggers, he's been reluctant to join.

Instead he studies.  I'm really proud of how much time he devotes to school work.  I think it's safe to say he's spent more time in the last 6ish quarter than he did his entire high school career.  He's actually working toward being the President of Ima Really Smarta Fraternity.  Then he could determine exactly how many Mt. Dew keggers they would host.  I think his plans also include jackets with cool symbols and perhaps a motorcycle gang. 

In addition to the high ambitions of being a fraternity President, he's also a mentor to Zoe.  This weekend he was doing his 712th assignment when Zoe mentioned she wanted to "work too" at the table.

She's in the creative arts program and the future President of the Ima Really Smarta Sorority. 

She wanted to name me Elvisah

Everyone has two parents.  Sometimes, if the child is fortunate, they have more than just their two parents that love them.  I'm one of those fortunate people.  Most of my family is of no blood relation to me.  They are my family by my design. 

One of those people is Lily.  She is like an honorary mom to me.  Growing up she was our roommate, but the relationship is much more than that.  When I was little she was simply "bud".  Which is the best way to describe our relationship.  She was my buddy.  She taught me the fun of being in a car and going down a hill really fast until you lost your tummy.  She taught me how to throw a softball.  She was my leader in youth group.  Her personality complimented my mom.

I got the best of having two parents, even if it wasn't considered "the norm."  Lily brought a carefree-ness to life.  She was my ally when my mom insisted we stop at another fabric store on any road trip.  Consequently, both Lily and I have been bitten by the quilting bug.  She used to make me a single serving of cookie dough when I needed a sugar fix.  It is still, to this day, one of my fondest memories from my childhood.  She'd make a little batch of cookie dough.  We'd split it.  Then she'd watch Grease with me for the 700th time.  Or, if it was August, an Elvis movie marathon!

Today is her birthday.  I'm All Shook Up about it.

I hope it's full of Blue Suede Shoes, a Hunk-a-Burning Love from all your friends and family, and maybe a Teddy Bear that hopefully the Post Office didn't mark Return to Sender. 

You have been a part of my life since the day it started and I'm forever grateful.  I know there were times I felt like I was T-R-O-U-B-L-E, but you continued to Love Me Tender.  Thank you for being my Mom2 all these years.  My life was truly blessed by you. 

Don't forget to Rock-A-Hula Baby today.  You're only the speed limit once!  Love you!

I no longer have an excuse

They say that daughters will eventually turn into their mothers.  That never really bothered me because I think my mom is totally cool.  I actually wished I was more like her.

I always equated with being like her to her personality.  She's compassionate so I hoped I would one day be compassionate too.  I never thought it would translate into hobbies or interests.

But it has my friends, it has.

My mom is a closet home ec teacher.  It was actually her desire to be a home ec teacher at one point.  She loves to sew, quilt and anything crafty.  While I was growing up I had no desire whatsoever to do anything crafty.  I think part of it was so I wouldn't be like my mom, but also because she's so good at it that I always knew I'd never be able to be that good.  I picked tap dancing (something she'd never try) and called it good.

Then 2009 happened.  I'm turning into my mother.

For my birthday she bought me a new sewing machine.  You would've thought I had won the lotto.  I was jumping and at a loss for words.  There may have even been a tear of joy.  We've been doing so much sewing and quilting this year, she thought I could use an upgrade.

Because I am truly enjoying all things sewing related, I knew I needed to get serious about my new hobby.  I needed to embrace the fact that I'm becoming my mother in the course of 9 months.

So I organized a closet in our house.  It's my new craft space.  Everything is portable.  I have a table that fits under the bed in that room and a chair that I can wheel in whenever the hum of the machine calls out to me. 

Isn't it so pretty...

and clean...

and magical...

and functional?

I love it.  Sometimes I walk into that room and just stare at it.  It completes a piece of my soul that I have been ignoring for too long.

I even took space behind the door for my cutting mats.

I'm secretly hoping we get another 77 inches of snow.  I'm wishing for that reason to have time cooped up in the house with nothing to do but create.

Now my mom and I can quilt at my house too.  We've both got grand ideas for this closet of mine.

I couldn't think of a better reason to spend time with my clone.

Everything is better with friends

Part of our post-bath routine is to make some popcorn and watch a cartoon.  Typically, when Zoe is getting her lotion on, she'll yell from her room for the other parent and say "popcorn please!"

Last bath night she yelled for daddy and said, "Mickey doll please."  Daddy brought it into her and then she asked for some popcorn.

As we were leaving her room, she grabbed her blanket.

As we turned on some cartoons, this is what was on the couch.

She made sure Mickey was covered with her blanket too. 

She'll have the pink Craftsman tools please

It's safe to say that Zoe is 100% a daddy's girl.  If he's anywhere in her vicinity, she will yell for him to be part of whatever she is doing. 

There is nothing cuter than seeing your daughter completely, 100% in love with her daddy.

Anytime N is doing something involving tools, she's in the mix.  The girl loves tools.  I think, if I let her, she'd wear a toolbelt every day.

When N had to change the oil in my car, Zoe was in the mix.  She put on her polka-dot rain boots and was ready for some oil changing action.  What makes it even better is she can't quite say oil.  It comes out more like "oh-el" instead.  It's one of my favorite things to make her say over and over.

First daddy took out some plug and let the oil drip into a pan.  Zoe watched, letting daddy know it was still dripping.  Every 5 seconds she'd say "still going." 

Because you can only hear "still going" about 15 times before you have to find something else for her to say, it was time to move onto the air filter.  She ran into the house to get her screwdriver (one that has a removeable bit).  She couldn't wait to unscrew things under the hood.  She LOVES all things dirty.

She's still all girl because she takes time out of all the screwdriving to pose for the camera.

She was having the time of her life. 

Next up is learning to change the filter on the heater.  She has to earn her keep!

That sound...

Yesterday morning was a good day.  I had gotten a good night's sleep and actually woke up refreshed.  With as hectic as our lives are, waking up refreshed is a little bit like winning the lotto.

I had stopped by Starbucks to spend part of my birthday gift card and head to work.  The lady at Starbucks made me a venti mocha instead of a grande.  It was like I won the lotto a second time that morning.  Extra coffee for free!  You cannot beat that.

Then, as I was stopped at a red light, getting ready to take a sip of my bigger, free coffee I saw it in my rearview mirror.  The silver Camaro going a bit too fast.  The driver didn't realize we were stopped, about a block before the light.  The light had turned green, but traffic hadn't started moving forward.

It's in that split second that you realize what's about to happen and you brace for it.  Then I saw the driver behind me turn his head getting ready for impact.

Then I heard that sound.  The sound of metal crunching other metal.  He rear-ended me.  I'm not sure what it is about that sound, but it sends shivers down my back.  It's the only thing I remember about being hit.  I don't remember being jarred or my soup can flying from the seat.  All I can remember is that sound.  In my case the sound was worse than the damage to my car.  Which is like winning the lotto for the third time. 

What I think is most fascinating about accidents is how people handle them.  Despite the fact that I was in shock and had more adrenaline pumping through my veins than I've had since my first ride on Malibu Madness at California Adventure, I was fine.  I actually felt sorry for the guy.  I've done the exact same thing before.  It sucks and you feel horrible.

He was actually mad.  He apologized and asked if I was okay, but then he was mad.  His car had a few scratches, but not real damage either.  Which was God protecting both of us.  

There was quite a bit of bad about the situation, but I still had about a grande's worth of coffee (the rest was on the dash), wasn't bleeding or really injured, our cars have more cosmetic issues than anything more serious and we both have insurance.  He will probably have higher premiums if that huge dent by his back tire is any indication of how he normally drives.  All that is fixable. 

As we left, he told me he hoped the rest of my day turned out better.  He had a bitterness to his voice.  I told him that I wished the same for him.  I'm not sure where all his anger and bitterness came from.  We're human, we make mistakes.  I just hope that his day today is better.  That he has some joy in it. 

Today, with a slight stiff neck, I'm taking my car in for an estimate.  I feel more of the effects today than I did yesterday, but it's a good day.  Me and my coffee arrived this morning in tact.  God made sure of that.  Just like He did yesterday and He will tomorrow.

Maybe tomorrow I'll get more free coffee. 

A girl can always hope!

The pirate that turns my heart to mush

I've been wanting to upgrade my camera for sometime in order to take better pictures and different styles of shots.  Because those digital SLR cameras cost about as much as my first car, I thought I'd play around with my point and shoot to see what I could do with all the different settings.

Of course I have a willing subject.  Anytime Zoe sees the camera come out, she immediate says "cheese."  It's now accompanied with a pained look on her face.

She wanted me to start with her pirate face.

ARG Matey!

About 200 shots later, I got the natural smile I was going for.

That smile gets me every time.  She knows it's my kryptonite.

I seriously could watch her do just about anything and my heart gets to the point of bursting.  I never thought I would fall in love with all her little movements and every day mannerisms. 

I would have 700 more of her if I could.  Her personality is as big as her heart.