Both kiddos are sleeping so i have time to blog. laundry is folded, dishes are done and now it is Momma Time. i cant believe tomorrow is july! Time has just flown by! i think having colder weather has made it seem like spring this whole time when in reality summer is almost done! Boo. Next week my best friend Sam and i are driving to California. Sam is from Citrus Heights so we both get to go home. I havent been back since summer two years ago when Hunter was Brooke's age. I am excited to spend time with my sisters and nieces and nephews. Maren asked me to speak at her baptism while there, i am so touched. I cant believe she will be 8! i remember when she was born and then later when Sporticus from some nick jr. show was her boyfriend!

Brooke is sleeping through the night now which is WONDERFUL! i cant believe what a difference that makes. Hunter is mr. Imagination and yesterday he was sitting on a toy and making it buck like a horse while doing his horse noise. The day before that he was playing with his trucks, doing the truck noise and said "let's go Memaw, let's go Papa!". i think that was because earlier that day he was in Papa's truck driving with them but who really knows.

Brad continues to wake up at 3:45 for his early morning job and it breaks my heart to hear him moan and groan. There is no way i could ever do that, he is amazing. He actually had a job interview today for a great job and we are all praying like crazy that he can get this job. I am hoping that while we are in California, Brad will be able to rest and focus on school. I mean "rest" by sleeping but i know he means "rest" by playing X-box 360 my brother so generously gave to him. Whatever makes him happy is fine by me.

Here are just some pictures of what has been going on lately.



Her chins help her to hold her head up.

Papa taught Hunter how to hammer in a nail. Now he hammers everything!



Gookie trying to twirl her hair.

No Hunter didnt grow a unibrow or chest and facial hair. This is just the aftermath of having chocolate pudding.

Highly Recommend

So i LOVE to read and that is what vacation is about to me. And i HIGHLY recommend this book AUSTENLAND by SHANNON HALE. if you are a jane austen fan this will tickle your toes. Even if you arent a "fan" if you have seen any of themovies, especially the BBC (best) version of pride and prejudice you will enjoy this book. go check it out now! MAggie you will love this book!

2 month checkup

Brooke had her 2 month check up yesterday. Here are her stats: Weight- 11 pounds 6 oz. Height- 22 1/2 inches.

Puddles

On father's day we were in SHelley and of course it rained. It was actually our last rainy day and now we are enjoying the warmth. ANyway, i was taking care of Brooke and asked Brad to keep an eye on Hunter. I came outside and there was Brad, chatting it up with a cousin and no Hunter. I asked where Hunter was, of course he didnt know. Well Hunter had found the biggest puddle and was running through it as well as every puddle he could find. No harm done, he was having fun and clothes can always wash and dry. So we continued to let him have fun. Oh isnt that what being a child is about after you have been insde from numerous days of rain?! Truthfully i would have joined him if i had a change of clothes.

fat and happy

this is what we get to see when she wakes up in the morning. she is sooo happy and smiley. She makes me laugh.

4 years ago

Four years ago we went on our very first date. Brad picked me up at 8 in the morning (which i thought was so early then) and we went fishing. It was the best date ever. We were able to talk about everything from funny things to spiritual things. I was soo impressed when i got every hook stuck, brad was so patient with me. i think i lost about 5 hooks.
Then he took me out to lunch and Me n Stans which isnt here anymore. Then he took me home. The date was supposed to end there but it didnt. He didnt go home until like 10 that night. We enjoyed everyminute together, getting to know eachother and telling about ourselves.

And here we are, four years later with two beautiful kiddos. Crazy and wonderful. WHen i look at pictures of us then i call them my glory days because i was much smaller and hotter. But really we are just beginning our glory days. Nothing beats a growing family, starting "real life" and being a Momma.

SOooo, this song is playing in honor of our first date four years ago.

I love you brad! as you say, i didnt catch a fish but i caught you!

Smiley Girl

Brooke has been sleeping great!! she is doing 6 hour stretches and saturday night did an 8 hour stretch!! She wakes up so happy and smiley as a result of it! this morning she and i woke up at 9 (hunter was still asleep!) and we had some one on one time. She was smiling HUGE so i grabbed the camera. i love how she cant smile and keep her eyes open at the same time. Later today she was trying soo hard to talk and she got some coos out for Daddy. So much fun! p.s. making fun of my baby talk is NOT allowed!

Hunter Boy

So Hunter was my comical relief last night. I was tiredm worn out and having discussions about finances with Brad. Not fun and kind of overwhelming. I think Hunter must have known his momma needed to laugh because he would dress up in my sunglasses, at one point he had the juice piture on his head like a hat. A finally this get up. Brad took some video. Typical two year old. I call him Napolean when he wears these boots. Oh how i love my Mr. Personality, my Hunter Boy!!

Blessing Day

So the picture of Hunter in the dress is to show you how GINORMOUS the dress was. This blessing dress is special because my mom had a Ghanaian woman make it for Brooke. Well i dont know if this lady didnt realize it was for a baby or what because it was huge! when we got it in the mail we were like in shock of how big it was! so we put it on Hunter for scale. He of course didnt like being in a dress and was crying. Kind of funny now but wasnt at the time. i cried and cried because a) i just had a baby and my hormones were crazy and b) i was sad because my mom couldnt be here and the next best thing was this special dress which was too big. So thankfully we were able to take it to our dear friend Tanya who fixed it and it fit Brooke perfectly!! Mom also sent some handmade african beads and my mother in law put them together for Brooke's bracelet. So the beads were supplied by Grammie and Memaw made the bracelet, special.

We were soo appreciative of the friends and family that came and what a rare thing it is to be able to have both of Brooke's great grandpa's in the blessing circle. i didnt even know my grandpa's let alone great grandpas! We had a yummy bbq after church and it was fun to visit with those that stayed. Then we cleaned up and took naps!! It was a great day.

This and that

I am so proud of my husband. He met a lady at his internship who is here in rexburg with a hurt back and her parents are on their way to pick her up. She doesnt have a car, home and has been working in yellowstone. SO she went from the hospital where brad met her, and is now in a hotel waiting for her parents to pick her up tomorrow. So brad volunteered us to bring her a real meal tonight. Brad took it over and she was so appreciative. He also brought a Book of Mormon and a pass along card. He said she was excited to read it. Brad has planted that seed and took advantage of a missionary oppurtunity. And that just shows that kind of man bradley is. He always thinks of others and of missionary oppurtunities. What an example he is to our family. I am so proud of him.

It was rainy monday and tuesday so yesterday Hunter needed OUT! we went to the park or the "WEEEE" as he calls it. We were there as long as brooke could stand it. Both kids were hungry so we went to McDonalds and got Hunter a happy meal and then we took a great nap afterwards!! Brooke has been smiling for a couple weeks now and these last couple of days i have finally gotten some pictures. So enjoy the pictures of the smiles and Hunter's unibrow of pudding.

Man vs. Wild