Names 2013!

Welcome to the fascinating and usually terrible world of Idaho baby naming trends! For the complete anthology and a brief explanation of what's going on around here, *click*. Otherwise, let's rip off this bandaid. Bonus surprise ending now included!

The Typical Drivel

Timbree

Maylie

Camri

Brinley/Brynlee

Myla

Tavin

Hensley

Jaxon

Taybrie

Harleigh

Eastyn

Maivyn

Bailee

Colter Ridge

Myah

Diezel

The Sound-it-Outs

Addilyn Kendul

Linzee

Saydee Lyn Marrie

Aspyn

Lyncoln Crue

Emiley

Dyllen

Invasion of the K's 

Korbin

Kache

Kason/Kayson/Kayson Kolt

Khloe

Kynzlie

Keston Glayde

Khenna

Kellon

Kyler

Kylen

Kalla

Kaelyn

Kaiya

_______lynne

Ezralynne

Reeselynne

Twin Disasters

Finlee and Indee

Oakleigh and Berkleigh

Diessel and Nixxon (some serious self-restraint there, to pass over the opportunity to use two Z's and two X's.)

Speaking of Double X's

Ryker Jaxx

Carter, Get Your Gun

Carter Benelli

Gerunds

Paisyn

Racyn

On the Map

Boston

Londyn

Houston (II)

Hudson

Berkleigh (repeat from the twins category, but it deserves to be posted twice)

Jersey
Capri

Brooklyn (II)

Stockton

The "What the EFF?????"s

Ramzi

Kru

Zen

MaCall

Lakoda

Riddick

Roywn (rhymes with groin?)

McKartni Grayce

Justyce Cozy

Three-way tie for the absolute worst name this year:

Mageigh

Roper

Jagur

Straight from THIS, heaven help us all:

McCarty

Most seamless combination of two tree species:

Aspyne

Worst real name*:

Tate Gus

Most literary name:

Harper Lee

Most Mormon name:

Parley

Longest name:

Koraline Andrea Dorothee Heidi


Shortest name:
Grace [no middle name]

And an enthusiastic standing ovation for the best names this year*:

Violet Julia

Ava Corina

Lucas William

Caleb Mark

Discussion:

• For me, it's worse when a child with a beautiful surname name is given the Idaho/Utah treatment. For example, it's more disappointing when Mr. and Mrs. LeCheminant and Mr. and Mrs. Jardine name their children Jersey and Houston, respectively, than when Mr. and Mrs. Boot do. To Mr. and Mrs. Cundick, on the other hand......yikes. I wish you well in all you do.

• Last year's What the EFF, Diezel, is this year's Typical Drivel, thanks to the fact that I've seen that name at least ten times since (including a baby in my ward).

• I reserve the right to mock or delete any comment referencing Le-a and the -jello twins. There are plenty of real made-up names to go around, there's no need to mindlessly repeat urban legend. It's pointless anyway, because I won't believe you unless you are personally in possession of the original birth certificate and are willing to mail it to me so I can inspect it with my own two eyeballs. I'm a Le-a Birther.

*There weren't many to choose from.

Manny Does Phoenix

Annie came to visit! Well, first my mom came to visit, but I accidentally didn't take any pictures, and then Annie came a couple of weeks later! We planned her entire trip around food and zoo.

We, of course, sat FRONT AND CENTER for the Wildlife Encounters show. This little tortoise is named Tortellini! TORTELLINI!!!!!

We had ten minutes to kill before the turaco feeding so we headed to the walk-through aviary just across the way. This bird was acting funny so we took pictures. Then we realized maybe it was sick, and told a zoo employee :( 40 seconds after posing for this picture, I checked my phone and realized it was exactly time for the turaco feeding and left Annie and Jon in my dust as I sprinted away.

We ran into this adorable pair over and over throughout the day. 

This muntjac snuffled my finger!

It's a TINY DEER with TUSKS.

Lory feeding schedule: Check, check, and check.

Covered in birds.

Everything in this picture is awesome. Blow it up.

A bird named Salsa.

Jon's hand. Proof that he was there.

Other things we did:

Hot tubbed in a downpour

Went on a walk/to the dog park

Watched Great Expectations (on Netflix streaming. It was great, even though it used the wrong ending.)

Shopped for yarn

Drank Italian sodas

Ate Sonoran hotdogs

Ate at Zinburger

Ate at Tokyo Lobby

Ate at Postino

Ate oreo dessert

Ate sausage, kale, and red potato soup

Ate nutella rice krispy treats

Ate ginger noodles (aka "Ginger Nudes")

I was not kidding about the food.

Thing we did not do:

Feed the stingrays

Two best photos of the trip (I held out on you):

Bye Manny. Miss you already :(