Our first born

Dearest Anna,
Today you turn five. I can't believe how fast time as flown by. I remember your birth like it was yesterday. We were so anxious for you to come. I ended up being induced on my due date because your nana and papa needed to get back to California, and they wanted to be there for your birth more than anything. Your Aunt Jenn was my labor and delivery nurse and took such good care of me while I labored all day (12 hours). I pushed for two long hours. You were facing the wrong way and made it harder for mommy to get you out! It was worth it though. We were so realived when you were finally in our arms.

Proud Daddy

Your Blessing Day: Wearing my dress

4 Generations: Mom, Grandma Mae, You, Nana

You were a great baby. You slept through the night from 6 weeks on. You ate like a champ and were a joy. You weren't born with very much hair but it didn't take long for me to realize that you were a red head. Everyone said it would fall out and come in another color. Good thing it didn't. We love your red hair! It has become our family joke to this day that we can't go anywhere without at least one person commenting on your hair. You and unique and special and we hope you always remember that!

Anna and Brooklyn with Papa Christmas 2007

Riding Horses at Aunt Tam's and Uncle Neils

You are going to be starting Kindergarten next month and I am very excited for you and nervous for me! I have been dreading this time of having to let go of you a bit. I want you so badly to stay sweet and innocent. I nervous about the world you have to grow up in. You love to ask questions and discover new things. You have an infectious smile and laugh. Some of your favorite things to do are read books, make crafts, get dirty, play with friends, ride your bike and play at the playground. We can't wait to see your grow this next year. Your daddy and I pray that you will always know how much we love you.

Happy Birthday Anna Banana!

Too Funny!

I needed a good laugh today. Thanks for sending me this mOm!

Click HERE if you need to smile!

New Word....

According to Brooklyn

Carf

Combinations of Cough and Barf

Sentence: "Mom I need some medicine because I just carfed"

It just may catch on

Kefir

Not to be confused with Kiefer Sutherland. (Isn't jack bauer a stud!?) Aaron and I love 24 but that is another post

While I was in Idaho my mom introduced me to Kefir. I feel silly that I am not able to better educate my 3 readers on exactly what it is and how it works but I'll do my best. It is supposed to be super duper healthy and great for your system. At first I felt a little Hippy because I am not a super organic crazy, tree hugging, el-naturel but I thought I would give it a try.

( I don't want to offend anyone with my hippy comment, I know I live in Portland :) Maybe the lifestyle is starting to rub off on me)

Below is what it looks like. Yuck was my first thought. Super-yuck after my mom said that it is ALIVE! It is a rubbery like ..... growth for a better word that will turn milk into a yogurt-y, sour cream-y, buttermilk-y substance.

What you do is place the Kefir in a jar and cover it with whole milk. Whole milk makes the final product creamier. Then you let the jar sit out at room temperature for 24 hours! No more no less. It will thicken up significantly.

Then after 24 hours, place coffee filters in a mesh strainer over a bowl and drain very well. I would say about 1 1/2 hours.

Let it sit!

Look at that adorable helper

This is what the final product looks like. You can use it as a buttermilk substitude, sour cream or yogurt. (I would suggest adding a flavor or fruit if eating it as yogurt)

Here is site where you can learn more about Kefir. I know there a different way to make it but this is just how I do mine. I think you can order it online if you want to start some or maybe you can buy it at a natural food stores. I'm not sure. If anyone here locally would like to try it I can divide mine. Let me know.

Crusin'

I just found these pictures of Anna while we were in Idaho. Her cousin Ryan has a kid sized 4-wheeler that she was dieing to ride.

Thanks to Uncle Eric for letting her take it for a spin!

Don't forget the helmet

Uncle Eric showing her how to ride it

Cranky

The heat makes me cranky

Todays high: 107

Thursday: 101

They the weekend will cool down to the nice mid 90's

Yuck!

I need AC

I've finally come to the conclusion that I am not a scrapbooker. I lack the patience, space, time, and creativity. I felt guilt though of not documenting our families activities. I want our kids to have pictures and stories of when they were growing up.

We'll what would be the next best thing you might ask?

A Blog book!!

I know this isn't a new thing for most people but I was so exited today to receive our first family yearbook: That is what I am calling them :) This one is 2007-2008. From now on I am going to do one each year.

I used a company called Blurb.com and it was very easy. Their program is downloaded onto your desktop and you compile the book from there. The program "Slurps" in all of your blog posts from the dates that you tell it, and then you can edit the book from there; deleting as you go if you don't want to include every post.

Check it out

HERE

Idaho Vacation- July 2009

We've been looking forward to our annual trip to Idaho for sometime. It has always been convenient that my mOm and Alain, and Aaron's parents live 10 minutes from each other so that we can make the most of our trips. We had a great drive out. We were driving our truck back to sell it, and so it was great to have two cars to split up the girls. They tend to bother each other quite a bit being in such close proximity to one another in the back seat of our car for that long. We made it there in a quick 12 hours!

I was especially looking forward to this trip because it was the first time in way to many years that my brother, sisters and I were all together with our families. The trip started off with a Myers family reunion at my Aunt Tam and Uncle Neil's ranch in Wyoming. Their property is truly Heaven on earth. There was breakfast, family history, volleyball, horseback riding (The girls were in Heaven ) , 4-wheeling, yummy grilled burgers courtesy of Uncle Neil, Texas sheet cake, pictures, awesome thunder and rain storms scattered throughout the day, patriotic songs, a flag retiring ceremony, fireworks and roasted mallos! I know Grandpa Ken and Grandma Mae were smiling down on us. It was a great day!

Me and mOm

Brandon and his boys

Anna, Ellie, Paige, and Brook.... goin' for a ride

Happy 4th of July





The whole gang!

We also had a great 4th of July starting out with the good ol' Rexburg Parade. A little disappointing if you ask me but the girls had fun chasing the candy and I stayed busy making sure they weren't run over by a float or car.

Amanda with Josh and Isaiah




That night we went to the rodeo which is always so much. Each year I get emotional when they bring in the flags and they play the anthem. We live in such a great country and I am proud to be an American.

Ellie and Anna waiting for the calf

At one point in the rodeo they asked all kids 5-8 to come down in the arena. Anna didn't really want to but with Ellie going down and some encouragement from me, she went. They let a calf go in the arena with dollar bills attached to its back and let the kids run after it and try to get the money. Before they let it out Anna nervously leaned over to me and asked,

"Mom, what are they letting out?"

It never crossed my mind to explain to her what they were going to let out. All she had seem come out of the shoot before that were bucking broncos and huge bulls.

We spend the rest of the trip hanging out, eating too much (I think I gained 5 pounds in 10 days, ouch!), having a family talent show, visiting friends, playing games and laughing until our cheeks hurt.

Camping 2009- Timothy Lake

The weekend before we went to Idaho we were able to go camping with some friends. After getting lost on the way there (boy, that will test your patience, and your marriage :), and Aaron accidentally locking our keys in the truck, we were able to finally relax and enjoy the incredible beauty that was all around us and great friends. The girls had so much fun playing with all there friends, running around getting dirty, playing in the lake and eating smores.

Sterling, Courtney, Mallory, Anna, and Brooklyn

Staying warm by the camp fire

Brooklyn's dirty feet

The beautiful lake

Our camp site

Amazing

Courney Blaisdell, an amazing photographer in my ward, took these of my girls.

Click HERE to see more pictures and her info.

Hittin' the Road

A couple of weekends ago we were able to go up to Northern Washington, about 5 miles from the Canadian Border, at a place called Birch Bay to stay with Aaron's parents at a condo they had for a week. We stayed for a few days and had a great time walking on the beach, eating too much, swimming in the pool, visiting an adorable little dutch community and relaxing. It was nice to have Aaron around also because he has been working so much lately. The girls had so much fun collecting sea shells and throwing rocks into the water. Brooklyn has no fear or inhibitions and would just walk straight out into the cold water getting completely soaked in her clothes. They had so much fun and loved to be spoiled by their grandpa and grandma!

Grandpa Tonks showing Anna the small fish in the water


Brooklyn loved to be with grandpa

Grandpa and Grandma Tonks with the girls

We forgot their swim suits, so they were excited for their new ones we picked up. Going to the Pool!!!! Brooklyn had arm floaties for the first time and was nervous at first but was swimming like a champ by the end of the trip.

Thanks Gary and Lynette for a great trip. On the way home we blew a tire on the free way so that was a bummer. Luckily I have a handy man who can change a tire in 5 minutes flat!!!

The day after I got home I also made freezer jam from 15 LBS of strawberries I got. It was a lot of work but it will be worth having yummy strawberries for the next year. I just wish I had more freezer space.

Today was a gorgeous 80 degrees day so we hit the park.... twice! In the afternoon we went to the local spray park and enjoyed the sunshine.

Brook thought she was pretty stylin' in her shades

We go camping this weekend and then we're off to Idaho on the 1st! Yeah for Summer

Loving the sun!