Out of the blue....

They say the funniest things. Last week Briggs said to me:

Briggs: “mom, how old were you when you were a kid?....(a thoughtful pause and then excitedly he asked) We’re you 5?”
Me: “yeah I was 5, I was all ages of a kid”
Briggs: (Like he'd just discovered something great he said) “I KNEW IT! I knew you were 5 when you were a kid”

I just laughed and hugged him. What a funny boy!

Mini Photo shoot...

In a few weeks we are getting our family pictures done in front on an old abandoned home (that has this great entry porch area) but I still couldn't resist the urge today to bring along my camera in hopes of shooting some fun photos in light of Brooklyn's first birthday and in her little birthday dress. Here are some of my favorites! (the ones on the grass are taken in our front yard)

Love this one!!

A hint of the "Brooklyn" personality

Watching her brothers and daddy outside

Happy Birthday Brooklyn!!!

This afternoon we celebrated Brooklyn's first birthday (which is really on the 28th). We had Cory's cousin Tammy and her family here and JD and Cindy Leslie from our ward as well. It was so nice to visit, enjoy yummy food, and celebrate her first birthday. We sure love, love, love having this fun little personality, and cuddly little girl in our family!! We can't imagine life without her!

Birthday girl!!

Birthday cake...bring on the PARTAAAAYYYY!!!

family picture
Not a fan of her cake or ice cream.  She first squeezed the frosting and then grabbed a handful of cake and dropped it over the side of her high chair.  You can see the grapes on her tray--that is all she wanted.  The girl loves ice cream but refused it today--I guess we won't force her to eat sweets!!

Briggs and Ethan enjoying their cake and ice cream.

From left to right.  Briggs, Haylee, Dakota, Nichole, and Darrion (Tammy and Brent's kids; Briggs is of course ours ;-)

Opening her presents.  She actually sat the entire time and loved it.  She loves to rip paper whenever she can get her hands on it so this was right up her ally.  Silly girl.

I love her little face in this one!

Ethan enjoying her presents.

The stroller that Ethan will dominate; the boy loves to push strollers and true to form, the moment she opened it he was trying to wisk it away.  She actually really liked it; here's hoping she will begin to like girly things (she much prefers her brothers toys which is okay too).

I just love her!
Bathtub cups--this is going to be a hit during bath time!

Discovering her balloons

All snugly with the blanket that Grandma Jones made her!

it's almost birthday time!!

Yesterday, during Ethan's nap, Briggs and I made some important preparations for Brooklyn's birthday party (that we had today). Here are some of the photos from that!

The cakes cooling and my inspiration picture

Bright pink ladybug...here we come!!

I used fondant and I'm in love!  It was so easy to use and talk about a great impact!

This is Ethan's head...and yes, he is licking out of the frosting bowl (all done with the frosting at this point :).  It started out with a little taste and then next moment I looked over his entire face was in the bowl.  Silly boy is all I can say!  He even had it spiked up in his hair.

The aftermath!

Brooklyn loves the fireplace hearth and this is her and Briggs being silly while her cakes were baking!!

Our little boy sure isn't so little anymore!

Coming for the camera.  Love that smile!

Brooklyn about to get taken down.

And she is usually a pretty good sport!

Any takers?????

The other day Cory sent me this hilarious video of the 14th annual wife carrying contest. We are thinking of bringing this competition to the US. Any takers??? Click on the contest above and check it out. It is pretty funny!

Youth Conference

3 new posts.  Check them out below!!

About a week ago I got to attend Youth Conference with the youth in our ward on a Friday and Saturday up at Kenyon College; what a unique and fun campus with all it's old architecture and history.  

I called home to talk to Cory and I told him that when I went to eat my meals that the dining hall reminded me of eating in the Hogwarts dining hall (unfortunately I didn't get a great picture of that) but it was really some neat architecture; which I love and appreciate!!  

I just brought along my point and shoot camera but I was able to get some fun shots of some of the buildings, an old cemetery (located on campus behind some buildings) and some of our youth.   

Our youth...

Shaylin in the cemetery 

Me and Cory's cousin's daughter Dakota (Say that 3 times fast!)

Taylor and Hannah

I loved this old cemetery

I thought this old cement box was very interesting...hmmm...I have no idea...