surprise visit

 In June my Dad, Diane, Marc & Aimee surprised us and came in from California for the weekend.  It was a quick weekend but we made the most of it starting off with dinner at our favorite place, Texas Roadhouse. Saturday morning Anna had her last soccer game so we cheered her on!

 Lila with Grandpa Wood

 After Anna's soccer game, we headed over to Jackson Hole, WY and walked around the shops. It was the most perfect weather!  In the evening we were able to go to the bar J wranglers.  Aaron took me to a show when we were dating over 10 years ago so it was fun to go again.

 

Grandma Wood and Lila

Beautiful Tetons

 

It was a quick weekend but a great surprise. We don't get to see each other as often as we would like so we soaked up every bit. 

lila: 1 year

freckles

{dad}

 We had beautiful weather one Spring, Sunday afternoon, and Aaron decided to take Carter out side to hit a few balls.  It made my heart melt to watch these two together, and made me so grateful that Aaron has a son.  

Aaron decided to play catch. Not sure why he thought Carter was going to be able to catch this ball but... you can see what happens next......

 Ouch!

Boy do I love the men in my life!

fix it

 A few months back we found our dog chipper a new home. It was a long time coming and I am very happy about it but that is another story. Anyhow, her dog house is still out back that Aaron build a couple years ago.  One day it was way to quiet and I couldn't find Carter.  I found him out back, with Aaron's tools, hammering away.  It was very serious business as he hammered and nailed and attempted to remove screws and such.  It occupied him for quite some time!

{Joslyn}

 I used my beautiful niece Joslyn to get a little more practice with my camera and photo editing software Aaron got me for Christmas.  Boy was she a joy.  We only had about 10 minutes of attention before she had enough, but I think we got some good shots.  I love her dark eye lashes and perfect little lips.

happiness

{soccer}

 

Anna's last soccer game was Saturday.  She played on the "plums" with 8 other girls and had a great coach, Scott Smith.  She improved so much and it was a blast to watch her.  Grandpa and Grandma Tonks, and Nana were regular cheer leaders too! How blessed we are to have so much family here! Way to go Anna 

 

(PS: Do you love the mis-matched socks.  It was a weekly battle to keep shin guards, socks, and her jersey accounted for.  You would have thought the first 4 times we couldn't find something I would have come up with a better system. Nope.)

 

 

{day in the life}

Here we go with catch-up time....

 

Brooklyn had a low key birthday at home with her family, cousins and grandparents.  I always feel bad because Brooklyn's birthday is right smack in the middle of Aaron's busiest time for work.  I am stressed and worn out, and Aaron hurries home for family things and then usually heads back to work.  Brooklyn is pretty easy going about gifts and her cake and things and is pretty content with whatever happens.  Brooklyn is full spunk and energy.  She is always moving, flipping, twirling and playing. We can hardly get her to sit through a whole meal or stay in one place while we read scriptures.  I always wonder how she is at school but her teacher says she is great and pays attention. She must use up her wiggle suppressant at school.  She is happy, yet intense.  I can't wait to see the wonderful wonderful person she is going to become and am lucky to be her mom. (Even if I am exhausted)

 

 

 

Brooklyn was so excited for her monkey pillow pet. She is obsessed with monkeys and it was just the ticket.

 Too bad my sweet thing isn't looking but this was the best shot of the cake. I was thinking before her big day. "oh, I'll make a simple rainbow cake."  Yeah right. This cake took so long and I think I used every pan, bowl, spoon in the house.  It took forever to frost and by the end I had given up trying to make it look like the pintrest picture. You know what though, she thought it was the best cake ever!  I was so glad to see that she liked it so much. I did decide next year we are going to do an ice cream cake and call it good!

 

Here are a few pictures of what life has been like here the last little while.

 

Cold days call for creativity and forts in our jammies

 Lou my love!

I love this girl more than words can say. How blessed we are to have her spirit in our home. She is happy and content. Everyday I want to freeze her. I just want to be able to kiss her chubby cheeks and clean food out of her wrist and neck rolls.

 

 

Brooklyn with Nana's new puppy

 

 My boy

My beautiful Anna. Oh how I love those freckles

 

The only Easter picture I got.  Why is it that no matter how hard I try to be organized and calm, it never appears to look that way. Oh, well

 

Brooklyn had her spring program and to our great delight, Angela, john and the girls decided to pull an all nighter and drive here and surprise us for the week. They were able to attend her program and she was so tickled about it. She was yellow in the rainbow and preformed an awesome dance! She was adorable!

 

 

The girls were in Heaven with their cousins here. We hardly say them. Accept when they wanted to eat. Which was about every two hours. :)

 

They were busy creating, cutting, pasting, climbing the playhouse, riding Ellie's skateboard down the sidewalk, playing with sidewalk chalk and torturing Nana's new puppy.  Carter and Emma got along great also and could be heard playing and pretending.  How lucky we are!

 

 Paper doll look-a-likes

 

B.F.B.C

 

Best Friends. Best Cousins

 

They're club name!

 

{7}

Brooklyn at the Salt Lake City Temple

 

Today our Brooklyn turns 7. Where has time gone? I think that every parent probably feels this way.

Brooklyn is so much fun to be around.  She is spunky and energetic and busy. She likes to create, dress up, play pretend, run outside and play with her sisters and brother.  Brooklyn can take just about anything that I am throwing out and turn it into something fun. I find egg cartons and milk jugs turned into treasure boxes or banks.  Brooklyn is doing tumbling and improving so much. She is doing well in school and is reading great!  She is helpful at home and loves to just snuggle and be together.  She'll probably hate this but she still sucks her thumb. Silly girl. She has done it since she was probably 18 months old.  We'll catch her at night after she's fallen asleep or when she is watching a movie and she doesn't think we are looking. 

Brooklyn loves to be outside. She loves leaves, bugs, icicles, dirt, rain puddles etc. She still says she wants to be a farmer when she grows up and let me know that she still wants me to be her assistant. 

 

As Brookie has grown, we can see a strong personality emerge.  Sometimes is makes Aaron and I a little nervous for what is to come, but she is a sweet spirit and we look forward to watch her growing each and everyday. We love you!

so chic

Isn't necessity the mother of invention?

 

My Sweet Niece Joslin.

 

and who doesn't love target?

 

Come visit for Heaven sake!!!

 

we're back

 

Life has been busy.  January always seems to go by in slow motion.  We had very, very cold weather which makes everything just a little bit harder. It takes so much longer to get kids out the door.  I try to stay as organized as I can but inevitably someone can't find a glove of a boot is missing.  I think I left for ward council one morning and the car temperature gauge said -20. That wasn't even with the wind.  It was bitter cold. I laugh though because when we finally get back up to 30 or so it feels like spring. No coats needed now!

We are looking forward to March because we usually get lucky to have a few days that will reach into the 40's. Lets hope.

 

The kids have been busy with school as always. I feel like the moment the girls walk in we have snacks, jobs, homework, spelling quizzes, church activities, piano practice etc.  Brooklyn has been doing gymnastics one day a week for about 6 months now and Anna decided to give it a whirl last week. I think they're both going to be great! 

 

Aaron is in full fledged busy season. Every year it comes and every year it is hard.  Aaron is working long, long hours and we are missing him at home.  He recently got a gym membership so he can go work out on his lunch, and break up the long hours at his desk.  Seems to be helping.  I count my blessings every day that he has a great job, even though it gets exhausting for the both of us.  Here are a few pictures to document what we've been up to and how we are growing... the kids that is! 

 

 

 

 

It's always nice when money is tight to find a beauty parlor with free services.. yessss!

 

 

In honor of my Step-dad who passed away two years ago on the 4th, everyone in the family was going to preform an act of service.  We decided to make cookies and valentine cards for a lady in our ward we didn't know well. She has MS and has been in and out of the hospital the whole time we've been in the ward. Her and her husband were very nice and I know the kids thought it was neat to do smonething for someone else.  Aaron and I are trying to instill the importance of service and doing for others.

 

 Mom got me a pom pom maker and boy has it been fun.  Here is my valentines garland

 Brooklyn made sure we all got a turn wearing the royal crown... not sure where anna was

 

Carter and his Deere