Typical Brailie

She is always on the lookout for either the moon or an airlplane and man does she ever have good eyes.  She is usually quite put out when the moon is not there for her to see.

Ashlee and Lily

My dear friend Ashlee came to visit in Utah a few weeks ago from Connecticut and brought her sweet 8 month old baby Lily along.  Allie was so excited all morning for them to come.  She loves babies right now.  Brailie too.  The girls took to Lily as if she was their sister.  Allie and Brailie were finding her all kinds of toys, the were hugging her and holding her and it was pretty much the sweetest thing ever.  This picture is Lily's first glimpse of TV.  She was enamored with Backyardagains to say the least.  When they left and for the next few days Allie kept asking when they would be back and I tried to explain that they lived far away but she just kept saying that they would be back.  I sure hope they will be too.  Ashlee and I go back to Ricks college-1999.  She was my first roommate.  My first memory of Ashlee was that she was taking the earliest possible class on campus and she was so afraid that she would be the only one in the class and she had an alarm clock with the most blood curdling alarm.  The first time it went off I think I nearly wet the bed it startled me so bad.  I woke up at the crack of dawn with her every day that first summer term.  After Ricks college we were roommates at BYU and had the best of times together.  We laughed and cried and dealt with crazy roommates.  We played pranks on neighbors and tried to understand boys.  Ashlee's visit was like a huge dose of therapy for me.  We just chatted about old times and new.  She is the type of person that makes you feel so good about yourself.  She is so kind.  My mom always told me in High School that you make your greatest friends in college and that is certainly true because most of my best friends are from college.  I needed a visit from Ashlee in the worst way.  I wish she lived next door-though I would probably never get anything done.

Melon Days Review

It's about time I got these Melon Days pictures posted.

For the Love of Melons was the theme.  Ironically we never even had one bite all day.

Thank heavens for this golf cart.  Our kids are all still too young to take off by themselves around the park so this keeps them entertained. 

Everyone wants to drive and be the passenger and ride in the basket at the back.  I don't think we would survive without the golf cart.

Greg taking all the kids for a walk around the park.  What a good Uncle.

Waiting for the parade to start.

This is what I got when I said, "Brai smile and show me your shirt."

A siren was 5 blocks away.  I am telling you what she is so sensitive.

Candy and Popsicles and more candy.  A great parade.  This parade is super long too.

Forget jump houses and train rides.  The kids love taking a spin with Grandma on the golf cart.

This is what tired looks like on Melon Days

Sweet Sydnee

Cute Chole having a snack with Grandpa.

Our Yard

I have been meaning to get pictures of this all year.  Our yard is so pretty this year.  I planted Zinneas in every available spot-including all along and around our garden.  I love the color and cheerfulness they add and they are the easiest flower in the world to plant, grow and take care of.  Goal for next year-double the number of Zinneas. (p.s.-anyone want some seeds-I have buckets full right now and will have even more in a month).

Kids Fishing Day

A few weeks ago they had kids fishing day at the golf course.  We took the girls down to try and catch a fish.  May I mention that this is the 3rd fishing attempt with Allie.  I thought I would go to take pictures.  I should have just stayed home.  The girls would have been fine with daddy, and I wouldn't have had to be stressed about them falling in the pond.  Brailie thought that you were supposed to throw everything in the pond and nearly threw her pole in 3 too many times.  And in the end we didn't even catch a single thing.  I remember the first time my dad took me fishing.  It was in our old wooden boat with our super old life jackets.  I believe my friend Brandy came along.  He must have prayed something terrible that it would be a success because we caught fish after fish and I fell in love with the sport and went many times over the remaining years of my time at home.  I loved fishing.  I am thankful that Allie has not given up even though she doesn't know what it feels like to catch a fish.  I can't wait until the day she does.

She has good form.

Brai's first time holding a pole on her own.

 Lucky for us the unsuccessfulness of fishing was erased with a free doughnut.

Who even remembers that we didn't have a nibble?

Another video for Grammy to appreciate

This was at Melon Days during the parade.  I just love how Allie just has to move to that beat. 

ABC's and a little business

I found Brailie in the bathroom doing business and singing her ABC's.  She loves to take her sweet time in the bathroom and I guess she is making good use of that time.

Allie Riding Her Bike (it's a short one)

Can I just say it is really hard to have two girls on bikes, one of which no longer wants to ride her bike, and trying to capture the magic on camera at the same time.  Hence the short clip.

Practicing our Talks and Testimonies

At the park there is this rock water fountain.  It is no longer working (or at least not currently working) but my girls have found another great use for it...a place to practice giving a talk and sharing your testimony.  Allie is very dramatic these days and likes to do performances all the time and now we can add impromptu talks as well.

She is really getting into it.

Of course if big sissy is doing it then little sissy has to try too.

Absolute favorite picture of the week.

Allie's New Bike

We went to the thrift store one day to buy a doll house that we had seen outside the night before (that was in bad shape but I had major plans to redecorate the whole thing and Allie was super excited) only someone had come and stollen it in the night (it was outside-they don't have a drop box).  I was totally bummed and Allie was too (I used it as a teaching moment about people who should pay for things and not take things that don't belong to them and that that is called stealing and it is wrong-she ranted about that for the rest of the afternoon and was giving who knows who a good lecture about it).  Anyway we lucked out and found this bike in the corner and got that instead.  I paid $2.00 for it.

I spray painted the whole thing solid pink, we had to buy a new tire for the back and then I found out later it needed a new seat too.  Well as luck would have it when I was in DI in Price just a couple of days ago-I found the identical bike and bought it for $4.00 just so I could have the seat (I am getting the hang of this frugal stuff).  We added the basket, streamers and bell and oh ya, water bottle and this girl was set.  She is pretty much the proudest thing in the world riding her new bike.  We can't resist taking it out for a stroll before breakfast in our pj's and again after we have gotten dressed.

Brai insists on going on a ride too on this bike-she can't reach the pedals but loves being pushed and thinks she is so big too.

She is so cute riding.  She will stop and ring her bell and say, "I'm a comin, I'm a comin."  She waves to people as they pass and she is learning how to use her breaks.  She stops every 5 feet (really fun and not the slightest bit irritating for mom) and says, "Now I get it."  I feel a new found sense of freedom having one who can ride a bike and only having to push one in a much smaller and light weight stroller.