Lots of Camping

We have been camping twice in the last week. Last weekend was my family campout so we went up to Franklin Basin Saturday. Brookelyn had a blast and went from the horses to the 4-wheeler to the horses. She was sooo dirty when we came home! (After the Bear Lake episode we made no attempts to sleep over :))

Last Monday Matt's family all camped up at Tony Grove so we went up for dinner. Brookelyn LOVES to play with all her cousins. This time we actually took some pictures...

5 Cousins

This is our attempt to get a picture of all 5 grandkids together. As you can see Brooke was not cooperating. She kept crying and running to me -- or someone else was crying. Sorry Grandma, we did our best!

Swim Party

With Carrie visiting from North Carolina, there have been lots of activities going on. We had a big swim party with all the cousins up at Mike and Karen's. Brookelyn had so much fun following all the big kids around and I had fun visiting with all Matt's sisters and cousins.

All the kids... there are too many for me to name :)

The cousins... Angie, Kristie, Candice, Me, Carrie, Cammie

Lagoon

Matt's sister Carrie and her girls are visiting for the summer from North Carolina. We don't get to see them very often (the last time was before Brooke was born) so we decided to take a family day and go to Lagoon. It was a lot of fun, even though I didn't get to ride rides. The doctor said it would take a lot to hurt the baby so I would probably be ok to ride but, I went on 1 ride and I was so sick when I got off I wanted to go on no more! It was lots more fun to watch Brookelyn -- she LOVED it. She would sit on the rides and smile and wave. Her cousins weren't so sure... they mostly cried, but we all had a great time!

The only pictures of all 5 grandkids (soon to be 7)... David and Macie kept crying for their moms, but we got a couple of pretty decent ones.

Her first ride... Bulgy the whale

Driving the car... Macie was bawling

Flying the airplane... Brooke was pulling the stick to make it go up and down, Macie again, bawling

Riding the train... she loved all the tigers and bears and big animals

Driving a boat... she kept leaning out to touch the water

Riding the horse on the carosel. She wouldn't let me hold her

Bear Lake

Last weekend we spent... or attempted to spend... the weekend in Bear Lake with Candice and Rick and their girls. I was running in the marathon on Saturday, so Candice and I took the girls up Friday afternoon and we were going to spend all weekend playing and hanging out.

We got up there about 3:00 and had a blast swimming with the girls, even though the water was freezing. We layed a blanket outside in the grass and let the girls play a little longer until Matt and Rick got there after work. The three of them play so well together, I'm so glad they get along. Brooke wants to do everything Payton does, even though she's not quite big enough. Bentley has her own spunky personality and she lets us know if one of the bigger girls does something she doesn't like :).

At about 6:00, we left to go pick up my race packet and meet Matt and Rick for dinner at La Beau's. As we were standing in line, Candice noticed that Bentley had little red bites all over her head and checked Payton. She had them too! So I checked Brooke and sure enough, she had them too! There was some sort of little tiny black bug in the grass and got into the girl's hair and bit them!! We had no idea and we felt so bad! Candice and I were soo grossed out that we loaded the girls back into the car and took them right back to the trailer and bathed them and both of us had to shower!!

Matt and Rick brought dinner back to us and we were having a great time until bed time came. We figured the best thing would be for Candice and I to sleep in the bedroom with the girls and Matt and Rick were planning to stay up all night playing XBox. We took Bentley and Brooke in first and layed them in the pack and plays, figuring we'd just let them cry it out. After 15 minutes, Brooke was still screaming... bloody murder. I went in to try and rock her, but she wanted nothing to do with sleep. We finally decided to put her in the car and go for a drive. She fell asleep after about 20 mintues so we took her back and put her down again... but as soon as I left the room she and Bentley both started screaming again! This time, Candice and Rick decided to take their girls in the car and see if we could get Brooke to sleep. Well, I tried EVERYTHING I could think of. She just would not go to sleep. Finally, after Matt had taken her in the car a second time and still no sleep, he asked her if she wanted to go home. She got so excited. "Yeah, yeah" was all she could say!

So, since it was already 11:00 and we weren't getting any sleep, we decided to just go home. I wanted to run, but sometimes kids just have to take priority. Matt and I packed up and headed home. It took Brooke forever to fall asleep, but she did just before midnight. We made it home and I decided to set my alarm, just in case I decided to get up .

The next morning, 5:30 rolled around and I was already wide awake. I had dreamed all night about bugs in my bed so I didn't sleep. I figured I might as well get up and go run. So, we threw Brooke back in the car, dead asleep, and headed back up to the lake. The busses were supposed to leave at 6:30 so we made it there just in time for me to hop on.

Well, the busses ended up leaving late! We could have slept for another hour. Finally, at 8:00, we started (almost an hour late). The race was awesome!!! I never saw anyone I knew, so I ran by myself, but I had so much fun, I can't wait to do another one. I only had to stop once to pee fast, which I was very proud of, at 6 months pregnant, that in itself is an accomplishment. I finished in about 1:54, and in the top 5 of my age category so I was very happy.

My legs have been a little bit sore since the race and I got a bruise on my belly from where I have to wear a support belt to help support my pregnant belly, but I really don't have any major complaints! I was a little worried since I've heard horror stories about people not being able to run for weeks after, but I'm back to running my normal 6 miles a day and still feeling great! It was a way fun day and I'm so glad I did it! We're all still catching up on sleep and our weekend didn't turn out quite like we thought it would, but all in all it turned out ok!!

FYI... I hate these pictures of myself or for that matter any pictures of myself when I am pregnant. I look fat, even my face looks chubby!

Taking off my shirt at 5 miles to go... it was hot!
Matt, Rick, Candice, and the girls were waiting to see me at mile 8

Coming down to the finish line

Just finished and waiting to get my time and medal

The New Baby

I went to the doctor yesterday and had my ultrasound so we got to see the new baby. Matt REALLY wanted to know what it was, he even tried to convince the ultrasound tech to tell him while I was in the bathroom - haha. The baby was all folded up and we couldn't see much of anything. It kept covering its face with its hands and feet so we could see its hands, arms, feet, and legs, and not much of anything else. But, the doctor said it looks very healthy and everything is going great! I'm half way done and I'm finally starting to feel pregnant, even though I still look like I'm chubby and not pregnant. The doctor also gave me permission to run the Bear Lake 1/2 Marathon next month so I'm pretty excited! Anyone want to run with me???

 
 

P.S. We'd love to hear what everyone thinks it is - boy or girl? And I could use some help with name suggestions! I have a few ideas for boys, but I'm pretty stuck. Brooke had her name right from the beginning!

Family Fun

It is so nice to finally have warm weather!! Brookelyn has loved being outside. Saturday night we made a fire and roasted hot dogs and smores and rode the 4-wheelers and played outside all night with our cousins Rick and Candice and their 2 girls -- Payton and Bentley, and our brother and sister in law -- Cammie and Dustin and their daughter Macie. It was a blast for us and Brooke loves having friends to play with! We can't wait for summer to officially be here!

Cammie, Macie, Brooke, and me on the 4- wheeler. They did NOT want to get off!! They both kept saying "fast" and "more".

Brooke and Matt... she was pointing to the 4-wheeler because she wanted to get back on.

Bentley and Brooke playing with some balls

Brooke and Macie reading a book.

Payton and Brooke collecting golf balls in the field

Our family on the 4-wheeler

Candice, Bentley, Payton, Brooke, and me sitting by the fire for smores

Mommy and Brooke

The four girls in the bathtub after the night was over... the water was almost black by the time they were all done! YUCK!