Brookie is ONE.

Time flies.  

It is such a cliché expression but just because it is cliché doesn't mean it is not true. 

Brooke is ONE and it flew by!

On August 15th, we celebrated.

We celebrated that she is a healthy and amazing one year old and that she is part of our family. 

I didn't mean to go all out, but I kind of did. 

You only turn ONE, once in your life right?

I had fun with the decorations. 

She didn't quite understand what was going on...

But I think she did like all of the attention.

We had to have watermelon, it has been her favorite all summer. 

Brielle and Braden were very eager to help her blow that candle.  

I'm glad they were there because she was trying to touch the flame.

She dug right into her little cupcake...but still was holding tight to that watermelon.

She was a mess!

We are missing some of our neighbor kids in this picture, but here is Brookie with some of them and her brother and sister. 

We have lucked out to have such awesome neighbors! There are so many little kids for them to play with.  

I feel so blessed that we ended up in this neighborhood.  

It was a hot, hot day.  We were all melting. 

We had to have it at the time we did because Scott had night float, otherwise I think I would have chosen to have it a little later when it wasn't so hot. 

But it was fun nonetheless. 

Brielle and Braden had fun opening the presents FOR Brooke! So funny! 

Those older siblings LOVE her.

Brooke loved all of the nice presents she got, but she LOVED the gift bags and wrap even more.

She LOVED this spinwheel.  

It was a hit. 

Our family wouldn't be the same without Brooke.  

She is just part of me and part of us.  

I'm glad that she is part of our family. 

A few things about Brooke:

She has spunky little personality. 

She waves bye and says bye. 

She says hewo! 

She points at her head, when asked, where's your head?

When she sees Scott, she says Da-da!

She calls me, Mom!

She LOVES to eat.  She is never full and could eat all day if I'd let her.

She gives kisses. 

She LOVES to pull hair! (not good...we are working on being gentle.)

She is fond of Brielle and still not too fond of Braden (which makes Braden so sad.) 

She loves to dance and shake her bum bum! 

...and she's WALKING! 

Temple Square with Abuelita.

I am loving that we live so close to my mom.  She came and spent a couple of days with us before everyone had to go back to school.  I love her influence on my children. It's such a blessing.

We went Downtown one day.  

We've been here almost 3 months and that was the first time we had gone!

Scott has yet to go. 

We walked around the new City Creek Mall.  It is so beautiful. 

We ate at Chick-Fil-A. and then headed to Temple Square.

I am not sure what Braden felt inside when he saw the temple and we started walking around the temple.  But he felt the NEED to put his hand over his heart in every picture and he immediately took off his hat, all on his own! 

It was so cute!

It doesn't quite surprise me, because his preschool teacher in Virginia told me how much respect he had when they said the Pledge of Allegiance and he always remembered to put his hand over his heart and he said the Pledge of Allegiance quite enthusiastically! 

{I think he felt that same respect when we were walking around the temple last month.} 

Here is proof: 

...and yes the loudest little voice, that is Braden. :)  

We went in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  It is so beautiful in there. 

I love this little sculpture of Joseph Smith. 

I think I felt the same thing Braden was feeling.  There is a definite and undeniable special feeling when one walks around the temple. It is hard to put it into words. 

...and the flowers all over Temple Square are amazing! They are so beautiful and perfect. 

Those doors are just so majestic. I love all the intricacies on them. Those craftsmen were gifted.

I hope my kids have many memories of us going to Temple Square.  

Glad we got to finally visit.

Slip-n-Slide with the Heaton's.

We were able to spend some good times with Jon and Daij before they moved to New Mexico.

We were sad to say goodbye but excited for them and their new adventure. 

The good news is that we will see them at least twice a year. 

Jon set up the slip and slide...there's a learning curve with slip and slide so you don't hurt yourself!:) The kids tried it a few times but I think the ones that had the most fun were Jonners and Scott!!! 

ha ha! these crack me up!

Braden thought it was fun until he fell and pulled some kind of muscle on his back. 

It's always fun when we hang out with Jonathan and Daija. 

Bridger is so stinkin' cute! 

We just can't get enough of him. 

Brooke couldn't get enough of that apple.

She was very determined to eat the whole thing.

After playing, we had a yummy dinner and it was hard to say goodbye.  We just wanted to talk and visit.  Brooke was having so much fun as you can see. 

Glad we were able to see you guys before you left! 

Can't wait to hang out again!:)

A Visit to Idaho│Rexburg Rapids

The first weekend in August we headed to Idaho, knowing that, that would be the last full weekend we'd have to hang out with Scott for a while. 

Man! Residency is not fun! 

When he is not on an outpatient rotation, he only has ONE day off a week and that may not necessarily land on a weekend.  I tell myself I can do this, raise these children with a husband that leaves at 6 in the morning, 6 days a week, and I only see when he comes home at 10 or 11pm from over 15 hours of work...the children don't see him for days and days, literally. 

It is no exaggeration.

So this trip was good for all of us. 

It was fun to have a husband for a full weekend.

Brooke is fond of the water.  

Brielle and her toothless smile! 

She has been complaining that she wants her two front teeth to come out...she hasn't been able to bite into an apple or eat corn on the cob all summer...poor girl. 

We went to the new water park in Rexburg. It was cheap and the perfect size for the kids. 

Brielle and Braden were buddies the whole time and played and played until they were exhausted.

I love this one!

...and this one. 

The lazy river was a favorite.

Scottie did the water slides a couple of times. 

The climbing wall was fun.  

Scott reached the top. It is harder than it looks.

Brookie played hard and she was ready to call it a day. 

Grandpa Clay came with us but he forgot his swimming suit!:( Bummer! 

Brielle enjoyed every second. It was the perfect day! 

We were all exhausted but we HAD to go see our old friends, the Miller's.  We love those guys.  They are so wonderful, we were neighbors for a couple of years when we lived in Idaho.  They have such cute kiddos.  Brielle and Emma were the only two nursery kids in our student ward.  

Now look at all these kids! 

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing. 

Karen made a yummy Sunday meal and we just talked and visited.  

Braden got some kind of stomach bug, so we just took it easy and were grateful that no one else in Idaho got it. 

Scott didn't start night float until Monday evening, so we stayed through Monday and got to see some of our favorite people, the Heaton's.  These folks are just the salt of the earth.  We are grateful to know them and have their good examples in our lives. 

We were grateful that we got to see Justin before he and his family left to Japan.  It just wouldn't have been right not to say a proper goodbye to such a good friend, three years is too long not to see these guys! 

I am still sad about it and they are already gone and enjoying their lives there.  

Glad we got to see you Justin.