Family Campout

This is a post I am extremely glad to be able to post this year.  At the beginning of July my Grandpa Larry (a.k.a Grandpa Popcorn) was rushed to the emergency room and put in ICU.  They did lots of testing and finally found out he had lukemia and some heart problems.  We weren't sure he'd live much longer.  But, good old Grandpa says he's not going yet.  He pulled through and insisted that we still have the campout as always.  It is a tradition that started long before I was born and has never been missed.  I remember dreading it as a teenager, but it is something I look forward to every year now.  I've certainly learned to enjoy and appreciate my grandparents while they are still around.  Grandpa and I have had some special bonding experiences this year and are some things I will never forget.  I'm so grateful to still have him around, even though we know it won't be much longer until he joins Grandma in Heaven.  I hope my kids are old enough that they will remember "Grandpa Popcorn"

We were able to borrow Mike's pop-up trailer this year and stay the night.  Bailee went home with my mom because it was a little cold and rainy, but the other two thought it was pretty neat.  Much better than our experience in the tent last year :)

Cole and my cute, youngest cousin Kinlee

Newly weds, probably annoyed by my "loving" kids.  But they are so good to entertain them and play with them.  Someday they will be AWESOME parents.

I love riding horses.  I don't get to do it nearly enough.

Pa and Brooke on Taz

I even took a turn on the 4-wheeler!

Blair on a horse... WHAT!?

Bla and cousin Karlie

1st ER Trip

My neighbor and I trade babysitting once a week.  This day, I was cleaning at another neighbors and got a call from Bonnie.  I'm still not sure of the real story, but I think what happened is Brooke ran into Tristan on the swings and bit through her lip. 

It was pretty bad and Bonnie thought she might need stitches.  I called the doctor's office and instacare, but no one here will stitch if it is on the face.  They told me we'd have to go to the ER.

It just so happened that the same day Matt's car had broken down so he took mine and I didn't have one.  Luckily, I have AWESOME neighbors and Pam (who I clean for) offered to take me to the ER. 

Lucky for me, Bonnie was the one who had to deal with all the blood and had her mostly cleaned up and clothes changed by the time I got there. That made it much easier for me to stay calm. 

Brookelyn was in a panic about getting stitches and wouldn't even let me put her down for the nurse to weigh her.  In the end, she had to get the outside glued shut and the inside healed on its own.  She was back outside playing after like nothing had even happened.

4th of July

One of my favorite holidays with all the time spent with family is the 4th of July. Annie and Nate were in California this year, but we still had a great time. This kids were thrilled with fireworks and especially loved running around the house with sparklers. Cole would just run and run and run.

Brooke fell asleep on the way to Logan in the car and stayed like this most of the rest of the night.  Under my parent's kitchen table.

Blair, Kels, Me and Bailee, Nan (a.k.a. snaggle :)), Mom, and Gpa Alt

Cole

After many, many months of trying, Cole is finally potty trained.  It all started last summer.  I bought him a chair and some underwear.  He was totally not interested.  I tried again at Christmas time and he was doing pretty good until I went back to work and it all went out the window.  Finally, in May, he started wanting to go on the potty and just needed a little motivation.  I bought him a gumball machine and that was all it took.  A few days later he was all trained!

His absolute favorite thing to do is work in the yard.  We have a battery powered 4-wheeler that he will drive around on our grass for hours "mowing the lawn."  He will also find a stick or anything he can hold and pretend it is a trimmer.  He takes the tiller out and pretends to till, rakes, pulls weeds, whatever.  He just loves to be outside.

Took swimming lessons for the first time.  The second day I took him,we were a little early so I took  him in and sat him on his towel and told him he could get in when the big class was done.  Blair went back to pick him and and when I asked him what he did at lessons he told me "nofing" Blair come get me.  Turns out, he was sitting where the teacher couldn't see him and didn't get in at all!  I took him back for another lesson later that day  :)  After that, he was moved up into a more advanced class.

We had dinner at Amber's parents house after she went through the temple.  Downstairs is a bear rug.  Her cousin put it on his head and scared the living daylights out of Cole.  After he calmed down, Brad told us the story of how he killed the bear.  Cole listened very intently.  The next day, he told his dad a story about how he  killed a bear.  "It ran up a tree and I shot it in the nose.  With my dart gun.  And it chased me, but I ranned away and it died."

One day his nursery teachers were helping clean up toys and Cole was asleep in the toy box.  I tried to take him to nursery in my mom's ward.  He was all excited to go until we got there.  He went in, took one look at the teacher and said, "Dis not my nursey, I not going."  He refused to stay.

Playing "Married"

One of my kids... well really one of Brooke's and she forces Cole... favorite things to pretend right now it getting married.  They have since learned that it is called a wedding, but they will dress up and have a whole wedding for hours.

7 Months

Since I'm a slacker and haven't posted in forever... Bailee is now 7 months old.

• At her 6 month appointment she was 26 in. (88%) for height and 15 lbs. 5 oz. (34%) for weight. 
• Finally sitting up on her own, just last week.
• Got her first tooth on the bottom left on June 7th and the second on the bottom right two days later.
• Loves Ritz crackers
• Always happy.  People are constantly telling me what a good and happy baby she is.  She is always that way.  Grinning and laughing at everything.
• Likes Hallie
• Waves hello and bye-bye
• Says "hi' and "mama" and sometimes "hals" (hallie)
• Started drinking rice milk instead of formula because she was getting so many ear infections.  The last ones were so bad I had to take her to instacare for a fever of 104.  They wanted to put tubes in, but I refuse to let them because she's still so little so I started looking for other options.  So far it seems to be helping and she loves it!
• Getting a little hair but its very blond and hard to see
• Mom thinks she looks a lot like daddy
• Scared of everything loud -- the vacuum, Hallie's barking, etc.
• Rolls all around, hard to keep her in one spot
• Doesn't like the swimming pool or the grass
• Likes to talk to trees
• Starting to imitate other people.  Especially laughing.  When we laugh she laughs too.
• Has to have a blankie and her thumb to sleep
• Had the flu for the first time and now hates bananas
• Scoots backwards if she is laying on her back
• Loves to talk.  Wakes up in the morning and jabbers away 'till I come to get her
• Wants to be naked, all the time!  If I leave her in only a diaper she'll take it off.
• Drinks from a straw and a cup

Brody and Amber's Wedding

My little brother was married on Thursday.  It was such a wonderful day.  We started out the morning at the temple with a luncheon at Coppermill after.  That night the reception was at Amber's grandparents, complete with ColdStone Ice Cream.  Yum!  We are delighted to finally have "Amberger" as a part of our family and wish them the best of luck!

Aunt Blair and Bailee Boo

Brooke and Cole

Pretty Girl.  Everyone commented to me on how happy and good she was being.  She is ALWAYS that way though.  She loves to talk to people and rarely cries.

Pretty Brooke.  I made my girls' dresses and Cole's tie to match.

Handsome boy.  He looked like such a stud.

Brody's best friend Ty.  My kids adore him.

Matt and I.  I think about the first picture we have of us since our wedding.  Sad I know.

the 5 of us

eating Cold Stone.  I bribed him to smile for pictures.

Her first icecream of many for the night.

Cousins Chris and Kelsey and Sister Blair

Decorating the car.  Amber told us nothing "dirty".  We tried not to be too mean :)

He was so worn out, he finally just crashed.

The bride and groom

Brookelyn absolutely loves Amber. She started calling her "Amberger" when they started dating and it has just stuck. She always wants to follow her and play with her when she is around.

Brody and Ty

Cutting the cake

Awwww...

She finally crashed too.