Life On Robinson Ranch

Our Jackson Hole Family Vacation

2012-01-07T16:46:00.000-07:00

I decided that we needed to take a family vacation over the summer. I had been doing lots of catering and cheesecake making to earn some extra money over the year. With the money I'd earned, I wanted to treat my little family to our first ever, real family vacation. It was only for two days, but it was just us, doing what we wanted to do, spending quality time with each other. WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!!!!

We went to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and when we first got there, we went into Grand Teton National Park. We had a quick picnic and checked out Jenny Lake. It was SO beautiful there!!

I had planned a hike to Hidden Falls and to get there, we took a ferry boat across the lake.

When we got to the other side, we started our hike. The kids found LOTS of things they could climb on.

We made it to the falls!

The next morning, we went to the Alpine Slide, which is a ski resort that they turn into a huge slide down the mountain.

We took the ski lifts up the mountain...

...and rode these cool sleds with wheels down the tracks. SO. FUN.

Austin, Brynn, and I took the first round.

Here goes Brett & Aubree.

And then Brett & Brooks went.

Super fun for everyone!

We found a neat park to let the kids run around and play at right by the Alpine Slide.

In town, we went to this store with lots of stuffed animals. When standing next to these animals, I was surprised at their sizes! I would not want to get in their way alive!!

One of the arches. That's a lot of elk antlers!

We checked out all of the bronze statues along the street and shops.

Then we were off to the aquatic center for some time in the water...

Our final stop was to the ice cream parlor for some amazing ice cream. Mmmmm...what a treat!

We did so much and had so much fun everyone was zonked out within five minutes of heading back home.

I've decided that every summer, we need to have a family getaway. Even if it's just for a few days. Those few days were Heaven to the kids and I!!

Swimming Lessons

2012-01-07T14:08:00.000-07:00

Austin and Aubree took swimming lessons the first week of August. It was so fun to watch and see how much they improved everyday. They LOVE being in the water!

Brynnlee and Brooks can't wait for their turn to learn how to swim too!

Aubree's New Glasses

2012-01-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

Toward the end of Aubree's Kindergarten school year, she was flagged in an eye exam that was performed at school. So, over the summer, we took her to get her eyes checked out. We learned that she had astigmatism and would definitely need glasses.

After a wrong first prescription, we went back and had them adjust the prescription so that she would actually be able to see. We had much better success the second time around!

And now she looks darling in her glasses that she wears all the time!

Rain Gutter Regatta

2012-01-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

The very first pack meeting Austin was able to go to as a brand new Cub Scout was the Rain Gutter Regatta. Parents had to help their scout put together a sail boat that would stay upright and glide effortlessly down a water-filled rain gutter.

Brett (who was in Scouts and participated in this event and has experience with it) happened to be super busy during the time we had to make our boat. That left me, who has never even heard of such an event, to make Austin's boat.

As were were making it, Austin was so excited about his boat, and said at one point that his boat was going to beat everyone else's. I was quick to stop that kind of thinking! I reminded him that I had never done anything like this before and that there was a very good chance that his boat may not even float. But we were at least trying.

So the big day comes, and we go to pack meeting. Everyone else's boats were way cooler looking than ours. So I just reminded Austin that we were here just to have fun.

Well, they started the races. Austin won his first race! And then he won the next race, and the next and the next and the next!

His boat ended up being the undefeated champion of the evening!!

I couldn't believe it, but both Austin and I were completely ecstatic about it!

Summer Fun In Pictures

2012-01-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

The weather over the summer was just BEAUTIFUL! It made for a very green and lush summer. We filled our time with lounging outside, bike rides, walks, bottle-feeding our calves, and hanging out with family and friends. It was one of the best summers we've had as a family!

We took my sister, Nicole, and my mom to the 4th of July parade in Rexburg.

Aubree got to ride on one of the floats in the parade. It was so fun to see her in the parade!

Then we went to the 4th of July Rodeo that evening.

My mom and I went up to West Yellowstone one afternoon to go to the Playmill Theatre and watch them perform "High School Musical!" It was both our first time going there and we had lots of fun just the two of us!!

Fun at the new water park!

And fun at Brett's parent's house too for my niece, Bretta's birthday!

My friends and I decided to take our kids to Egin Lake one afternoon. We all absolutely loved it! The water was waist deep on the kids at the deepest part. That meant they could have all the fun they wanted!

We spent LOTS of time having picnics and playing at parks!

WE LOVE SUMMERTIME!!!!!!

Girl's Camp

2012-01-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

Being in the Young Women's presidency, I was able to go to Girl's Camp in July. It was the first time I'd gone to girl's camp since I was in Young Women's as a youth. I absolutely LOVED it!!!

Our theme was "Survivor" and we were truly roughing it as we camped in tents at a campsite with no running water, no electricity, and one toilet pit. But it was right next to a gorgeous lake and the scenery was incredible!!! We saw and heard lots of wildlife, but thank goodness, no bears!

The worst part about where we were, were the mosquitoes. They were out in SWARMS! But we learned that if we applied 100% DEET every hour, the skeeters mostly left us alone.

One day we went to do a ropes course at a nearby scout camp. It took a lot of courage, but left us with an incredible feeling of accomplishment afterward.

After a couple of days, Brett took a day off of work to come up and camp with us as one of the Priesthood leaders. It was so fun to have him there with me! We thoroughly enjoyed the hiking we did with the girls.

It was such an incredible Girl's Camp and one I won't soon forget!

Union Falls Trail Ride

2012-01-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

At a Young Women's girl's camp fundraiser, we won a trail ride to Union Falls, an incredible waterfall I had only heard about. I had been SO excited for this trip with friends, but nervous since it was my first time riding a horse. But our friends gave me a super mellow horse to ride and all I basically had to do was hold on and enjoy the ride. And that's exactly what I did.

It was such a beautiful ride; I loved every minute of it! Brett, of course, loved it too. This is exactly his favorite way to pass time - on the back of a horse. He rode our horse, Daisy. She can get a little feisty, but Brett kept her under control for the whole ride.

Union Falls

After checking out the falls, we hiked to the Scout Pool, a place where a hot spring meets the waterfall run-off. That was so fun!

I wasn't too ambitious, but Brett was...

We had such a fun time! We're now on the look out for some super mellow horses to buy so that we can go do something like this again and more often!

The Annual Taylor Chevrolet Car Show

2012-01-07T12:31:00.000-07:00

It wouldn't be summer without going to the annual car show at Brett's work. We always love to go check out the super cool cars that are there. It's always a big hit with the kids...and Brett. :)

Family Pictures

2012-01-07T12:28:00.000-07:00

Our final activity over the baptism weekend, we had some family pictures taken while my sister-in-law, Kasi - the photographer, was here. These pictures, however, are from my camera and not a good of quality as Kasi's were. But they're the behind the scenes shots from that day.

I'm so lucky to be blessed with my sweet little family. I love them so much!!!

Baby Shower

2012-01-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

To finish off our awesome baptism weekend, my family and I hosted a double baby shower for my sister, Shauna, and sister-in-law, Cami.

My sister-in-law, Kasi, put together these awesome diaper cakes! They were so cool!!

We showered them with gifts and love...

Lots of fun!

Yellowstone

2012-01-07T12:14:00.000-07:00

While we had so much of my family come up for Austin's baptism, we decided to take them up to see Yellowstone since many of them had never been. It was so beautiful that day. The temperature was just right, the scenery was amazing, and everyone had such a fun time! It was perfect!!

SO. MUCH. FUN.

Austin's Baptism

2012-01-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

Since Austin turned eight, he was able and chose to be baptized. Talk about a SPECIAL day! We had so much family come to his baptism and show their love and support for him. It was an incredible day!

Austin was baptized by his dad.

I am so lucky to have the gospel in my life and be able to teach my family the sweetness of it. I am so proud of Austin's decision to be baptized. I know that if he lives worthy of the Holy Ghost that he will be guided and directed to choose righteous things. Then he'll be able to be a valiant servant of our Heavenly Father.

Aubree's 6th Birthday!!

2012-01-07T11:50:00.000-07:00

Aubree had a "Fun In The Sun" birthday party this year as she's turned 6 years old. We made her a flip flop cake that turned out cute and took she and friends to the water park for some fun in the sun!

It was such a fun day and a fun way to celebrate such a fun-loving, sweet, tenderhearted girl. We absolutely love our Aubree!!

Brooks Is TWO!!

2012-01-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

Oh how time flies! My baby turned TWO!!! We made him an ice cream sea turtle cake for his big day. Boy that was interesting. We had to hurry and take pictures and eat the think before we had melted sea turtle soup!

I can't believe that my Brooks Boy is two. He has such a great sense of humor and adds such life to our little family. We sure love this guy!

Austin's 8th Birthday

2012-01-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Austin turned 8 and wanted a guitar birthday cake. So that's what we went with. He loved it! He invited a couple of friends to go see a movie and have pizza and cake and ice cream afterward.

He thoroughly enjoyed his dinosaur excavating kit and his entire day. We sure love that smart, kind, funny, helpful kid!!

Trip To Utah

2012-01-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

The first weekend in June, we took a trip to Utah to go to my nephew's baptism. While we were there we had so much fun!!!

Daniel's Baptism

We went to Thanksgiving Point to check out their dinosaur museum. And we watched a movie there in 3-D. It was so cool!

We all had a great time, but Austin was absolutely LOVING it!!!

It was so great to go and relax and hang out with family. We ended up doing just that for much of the summer.

Salem Residents Fight Back Against Squatters - Local News Story - KIFI Idaho Falls

2011-09-01T14:32:00.000-06:00

This has been the recent excitement going on around here lately and is still happening. We're really hoping to catch these people.

Salem Residents Fight Back Against Squatters - Local News Story - KIFI Idaho Falls

Cheer Camp

2011-06-11T23:06:00.000-06:00

The first week of the kids' summer vacation, Austin and Aubree both got to do a week long camp. Austin chose SCIENCE CAMP (click to check out those details) and Aubree chose Cheer Camp! Cheer camp was put on by the high school cheerleaders and each age group got to learn one cheer, one dance, and some stunts. Aubree had such a good time there and her year of gymnastics really helped! Here's my little cheerleader!!!

Field Trip to the Zoo

2011-06-11T14:06:00.000-06:00

Aubree's kindergarten class took a field trip to the zoo, so I chaperoned and took Brynnlee and Brooks with me. The kids had so much fun seeing all of the different animals.

Karlee (Aubree's friend and next door neighbor), Brooks, Brynn, and Aubree

The weather was great right up until we were just finishing our rounds seeing the animals. Then it started to rain. We were supposed to have a picnic at the park right outside the zoo, but since it was raining so much, we decided to have our picnic in the back of the Tahoe.

The kids thought that was so much fun! We just folded up the back seats and left the back door raised and ate right there. Good times!!

Gymnastics Recital

2011-06-11T13:41:00.000-06:00

Aubree has been participating in gymnastics this year and has been having so much fun with it! At the end of the school year, they had a big recital for all the parents to come see. Aubree did such a good job. She's already looking forward to doing gymnastics again next year!

Aubree & her teacher, Christina

Austin's Blog

2011-05-31T16:17:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone! I know it's been a while since I posted last and I have a LOT to catch up on. But first, I wanted to introduce you to Austin's new blog: Austin The Scientist

Go check it out. He's very excited about it!

Easter

2011-04-25T08:43:00.004-06:00

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday! We started out the day with a super yummy breakfast, got the kids ready in their new Easter clothes and had our little easter egg hunt for the kids. Next up was church then dinner with Brett's family and some college students. It was a great day spent with friends, family, and remembering our Savior!

Just for you, Shauna!

2011-04-16T15:26:00.002-06:00

Sorry, you'll have to cock your head to the side to watch this.

Yes, even though the "morning" (more like all day and night) sickness is hard to deal with now, it is definitely worth it. Kids can bring so much joy and happiness!

A Good Visit (pun intended)

2011-04-16T09:44:00.007-06:00

Last weekend, my brother, Kevin and his family, came up to visit. We were SOOOOOOOOOO excited to have them!!! They just recently moved from Indiana back to Utah. We rarely got to see them while they lived so far away. In fact, it had been almost two years since my kids had seen Kev's kids. It was quite the reunion!

I love, love, love the way that Austin and Daniel (who's Austin's age) talked and played. The first night they were here, we let them sleep together on the piano room floor. While the adults stayed up frosting and decorating cupcakes, I could hear Austin and Daniel whispering to each other for hours. I so wish I could have gotten pictures of the two of them.

Aubree and Emily have a very similar relationship. They too are the same ages and have LOTS of the same interests. On their first night together, they were busy writing notes to each other. It makes me so happy that they get along so well!

We all thought Jake was an absolute HOOT!! That kid is absolutely hilarious to watch, listen to, and talk to. Brooks thought he and Ben were lots of fun and he fits right in with the two of them with their interests in balls, trucks, and being tough.

Saturday was Daniel's birthday. We started the morning off with his birthday breakfast of buttermilk pancakes, bacon, and sausage. It was quite the feast. Then that afternoon, we all loaded up and went to Fat Cats to do some bowling and have some pizza for lunch.

Talk about a BLAST!! We had so much fun!!! It was the first time we had taken any of our kids bowling and they absolutely loved it, especially with cousins!

This is Daniel. Look at that form!

Later that day, Kasi decorated a cool lightning bolt cake and we all had cake, ice cream, and opened presents.

We finished off the great day watching Tangled. What a treat for my family who's never seen it.

Sunday we hung out and went to church. After church, Aubree and I ended up with the stomach flu so Kev and his family headed out Monday morning, back for Utah.

Even though the trip was cut a little short, we sure loved having them come to visit. I'm so excited that they live so much closer to us now. We're already planning a trip down to Utah to visit them for Daniel's baptism. YAY!!

Brooks

2011-03-29T10:40:00.003-06:00

Ever since Brooks was about 1, he has become one mischievous little guy. He likes to get into things and make messes. Some days that's all I do, chase him from mess to mess. Sometimes I feel like I just can't keep up.

I've decided to compile some of our MONSTER pictures...

Our Little Monster Man

But sometimes, just sometimes, he can be very helpful.

Women's Conference

2011-03-04T11:03:00.002-07:00

I was so lucky to go to an incredible Women's Conference last Saturday. Julie B. Beck was the speaker. How awesome is that?! She came here to Rexburg to speak to over 13,000 women at the new BYU-I center.

I was so lucky that Brett had the day off and he didn't have any sandblasting to do, making it super easy for me to go. It was a bonus that I was able to go with some of my good friends!

So, this post is basically for me. I want to put my notes somewhere I won't lose them so that I can come back and review them when I need to. Chances are, I'm the only one who will understand my discombobulated thoughts. So, here goes...

We should not have any other goal in life but to help our Heavenly Father in His work.
The Lord expects us to declare His word with love and tenderness.
If we have the spirit, we're okay. If not, we can't get the guidance we need. D&C 11:12-14
How do we find balance? We need to set boundaries and prioritize correctly:

Essential things - scripture reading, prayers, temple
Necessary things - work, take care of house, take care of kids, cook
Nice to do things - hobbies, reading, movies, friends

Your best effort, the Lord accepts.
Anytime we can go to the temple, we take the spirit back into our homes.
If you want to have a friend, begin by being a friend.
The most important thing we can do to prepare for the Lord's coming is to prepare our homes. We need to have a climate that nurtures the Spirit.
We have the ability to control the climate in our home. The Spirit needs to be in our homes.
We need to have the words of the scriptures in us to have them come out of us for missionary work.
The Lord wants us to be a mother first.
He sends us his toughest spirits and they need leadership.
The greatest trial is to have a gift, but to not follow our dreams and raise a family instead.
Get over our issues (about visiting teaching and everything else).
Visiting Teaching is a sacred opportunity. It's about our hearts and our hands.
We need to live for the gospel and not for ourselves.
We don't have to worry; we just need to be faithful.

I was discussing the meeting with some other women from my ward and they were talking about some things leaving me to wonder what meeting they went to. Then I realized that the Spirit was teaching me the things that I needed to know to help me in my own life. I'm so thankful for the teachings that Heavenly Father gives me. I only hope that I can make the changes that I know I need to and become more of a servant for Him.

Brynnlee's 3!!

2011-03-03T12:07:00.004-07:00

We celebrated Brynnlee's third birthday Wednesday. It's just incredible how fast these kids grow! Austin started out the day with a birthday banner that everyone helped to color. I love how thoughtful and creative he is.

While Austin and Aubree were waiting for the bus, we let Brynn open up two presents. She was ecstatic to say the least!

She was having a Princess Party later that morning and had been quite worried about what she was going to wear since we didn't have any princess dress-up clothes.

But now she was all set with a Dora princess dress and Dora jewelry to go with.

Pretty soon, all of the other princesses arrived...

From left: Princess Paisley, Princess Oakley, Princess Macie, and Princess Brynnlee

Her party was filled with dancing, painting fingernails, playing with balloons, a princess lunch, decorating crown brownies, opening presents, and more playing.

It was her first real birthday party with friends. They all had so much fun! I was so happy!!

While Brynnlee had her beauty sleep, I finished decorating her castle cake. When she woke up to find it done, she was overjoyed!!! (That's the best part of going through all the hassle to make these special cakes for my kids.) It made me so happy once again.

Then later that evening, Grandma and Grandpa Robinson came over for cake and ice cream.

Brynn really struggles blowing candles out. It is the funniest thing! So I took a video of it.

As I tucked her into bed that night, I asked her if she had a good birthday. She said that she loved it. That makes everything worth it!

We love Brynn so much!! She definitely brings a different dynamic to our family. She likes to be the leader and tell everyone what to do. She speaks VERY well and will say the funniest things. Sometimes Brett and I wonder where she ever came from, but we're sure glad she's with us. She makes our lives so very interesting! We sure love her!!!

Quick Visit

2011-03-03T11:30:00.002-07:00

We always enjoy having my mom come visit! This time, weather delayed her trip to our house so she was here for two days. The first day I was so busy preparing for New Beginnings with the young women in my ward. So I didn't get to do much with her. And the second day, we just had to continue our tradition of baking all day. But in between all of our business, my mom brought a fun project for the kids to do - a dinosaur dig! All of the kids got in on the action and absolutely LOVED it!

Like I said, we love having my mom come and visit!!

Basement Bathroom

2011-03-03T10:46:00.005-07:00

After having my mom and my grandma come to visit over Christmas, Brett and I decided that we would finish the bathroom in the basement before the next visit. We were thinking that my mom would be coming again around April sometime, but when she called to see if she could come on President's Day (which was Feb. 21st), we had to really get a move on things to have them ready in about three weeks.

Thankfully the drywall had been hung and it had been taped and textured. So we had to start by priming the walls and the ceiling and then painting over everything.

The kids were so excited to help!

But Brooks was more of a hindrance than a help.

We got the paining done, the light fixtures in and the tile laid.

Unfortunately I totally slacked and didn't get picture of the cabinets being put in. Probably because it was Brett and I heaving and pulling, and pushing, in and out and around until we finally got it just right. Then came the toilet, sink, and faucets.

Unfortunately again, that's as far as we got when my mom got here. The shower worked and the toilet worked, but the counter top wasn't finished, so we couldn't hook up the sink. But it still partially worked for while my mom was here.

But as of Wednesday (yesterday) the rest of the trim is up, the counter top is done, the sink is working, hooks are up on the wall for towels, and the drawers are stocked. So, now this is what it looks like...

Now all that I have left to do is to seal the grout, get a big mirror, and some rugs, trash can, toilet paper holder, and a towel ring. So close! But still usable for company to come!!

Resolutions

2011-01-26T13:54:00.003-07:00

I know it's almost the end of January, but I wanted to post my 2011 resolutions anyway. I love to be able to look back on past goals and see how far I've come and what still needs to be worked on.

So, last years goals were:

1. Organize the house - I made some great improvements
2. Make a menu calendar every month again - I did through June
3. Keep exercising - I pooped out on that one
4. Get to a size 4 - DID IT!!!!
5. Eat less sugar - uh, no.
6. Potty train Brynnlee - DID IT!!!!
7. Read more with the kids - Not as much as I wanted to
8. FHE EVERY week - Improved
9. Scripture study with the kids - Improved
10. Attend the temple once a month - Improved
11. Entertain more - Yes.
12. Do more service (I'm shooting for at least once a week) - It wasn't once a week, but it was a great improvement
13. Take more day trips as a family - Still need to work on that

Last year was a great, great year. That's not to say we didn't have any problems, because we did, some very big ones in fact. But what made the biggest difference, I think, was that Brett spent more time with us. It makes me happy to have him around. It also helped that I was making my own money and not feeling like I was suffocating as in 2009.

So YAY for improvements!

And speaking of improvements, I intend to keep making them. I have high hopes for this year and we're already off to a great start!

So, my 2011 Resolutions are as follows:

1. Read aloud more to the kids

2. Hold family scripture study, family prayer, FHE, & temple attendance regularly

3. Study the conference talks thoroughly

4. Organize the house; have less clutter

5. Have more patience: "Keep Calm & Carry On"

6. Give more hugs, kisses, and encouragement

7. Travel more

The kids' 2011 Resolutions are:

1. Clean the house more

2. Spend more time with our family

3. Read

4. Take more day trips

5. Be nicer to each other

6. Take better care of our toys

7. Do FHE every week

Like I said, we are off to a great start and hope to keep it going for the rest of the year!

Brooks Boy

2011-01-21T16:08:00.006-07:00

Brooks went in for his 18 month check-up (even though he was 19 months) and we learned that he is continuing to grow beautifully. He weighs 25 lbs 9 oz, which puts him at the 50th percentile for his weight, and he is 33.3 inches tall, putting him at the 75th percentile for his height. He had to get two shots that day and when he got them both, he didn't cry once. That just goes to show what a tough little guy we have.

I knew the nurse would be asking me how many words Brooks can say, so one day I sat down and started a list. I was shocked by how many things he actually does say! So, here's my list:

ball

out

uh-oh

uh-uh (it means both no and yes)

shoes

shhhh

moo

num-num

ma ma

da da

diz (there it is)

cheese

ba ba (drink)

toast

hot

eew

tickle

hat

off

wus at (what's that)

And of coarse, he tries to say many more things, but I have no idea what he means.

Over the last month or two he's had a fascination for large spatulas (the kind you'd use to flip pancakes with). He likes to carry them everywhere he goes - in the car, in the store, to the church, to a friend's house, and most especially to bed with him. I'm not quite sure why he's been so crazy about his spatulas, but he has been.

Just lately, his fascination has been changing to balls (something a little more normal for kids). He's been treating just about any ball he can find the same way he treated his spatulas and must take them to the aforementioned places as well.

He's a funny kid and everyone loves to be around him. He has such a tender heart. He sucks his thumb, but only when he's holding his favorite blankies and I love that! He's learned to push a chair anywhere in the kitchen and get into and onto EVERYTHING! He has all of his teeth in, aside from his 2 year molars. He is a problem solver. He is a mess maker. We call him Chunky Monkey, Chubby Bubby, Little Buddy, Brooks Boy, stinker pants, monster, Chubs, and sweet little baby boy - all names he has rightfully earned.

We love this kid so much.

Idaho Sledding

2011-01-20T15:07:00.004-07:00

Brett and I took the kids sledding last weekend. But when it comes to sledding, we do things a little different around here.

Brooks, Austin, Aubree, and Brynn getting ready to sled

Yep, the kids need helmets and this is why...

Brynn and Brooks LOVE to ride on the snowmachine!

We thought we'd try it the traditional way too.

It was LOTS of fun!!

Updated

2011-01-08T17:39:00.003-07:00

I've updated my blog from over the last 5-6 months. This is the 13th post I've done today. So if you want to check them all out, you'll have to click on the "older posts" link near the bottom of this page. Happy reading!

Family Pictures

2011-01-08T17:29:00.003-07:00

In case you haven't seen our latest family pictures (that we took back in September), here they are...

Austin, 7 years old

Aubree, 5 years old

Brynnlee, 2 years old

Brooks, 1 year old

Me & Brett

(This is my favorite!)

Christmas

2011-01-08T16:24:00.008-07:00

My mom and my grandma came to visit us for Christmas. The first day was great while they were here. We baked bread and granola and visited all day long. The second day, they both got the flu that had hit our family just before they came. I felt sooooooooooooooooooooooo bad!!! And they each had it much worse than any of us did. But, thankfully, it passed. My kids so thoroughly enjoyed the rare visit from my grandma. They love how much she loves them.

On Christmas Eve, my mom put on a Christmas Play with the kids. The boys got to be shepherds and wisemen and the girls were the angels.

After that, we made a gingerbread house.

And after watching our Nativity DVD, the kids each got to open one present - their Christmas jammies.

We spent the morning leisurely opening presents and playing with the new toys.

After all of the presents were opened, we showed the kids one last surprise we had hiding in the basement.

They were pretty excited to say the least.

After spending some time with Brett's family, we came home for some snow machine rides. It was the first time my mom had ever been on one.

It was a pretty great Christmas!

School Christmas Program

2011-01-08T15:53:00.002-07:00

Pretty cute!

Thanksgiving

2011-01-08T15:39:00.004-07:00

This was our very first Thanksgiving that we had on our own. We usually celebrate with Brett's family, but this year, they went to St. Louis for Thanksgiving. Can I just tell you how much fun I had cooking the whole meal?! Oh, man, it was GREAT!!!!

While Brooks and I stayed inside, listening to Micheal Buble and cooking, Brett took the other three kids out to play in the snow. He showed them how to build snow caves. They LOVED that!!

Even Brett could fit in there!

Once dinner was ready, they all came in and we FEASTED! We sure had much to be thankful for!!

Craft Fair

2011-01-08T15:33:00.002-07:00

I participated in the Rigby Craft Fair in November and the Sugar City Craft Fair in December. I'm so excited that people have been wanting my cheesecakes and truffles!!

Halloween

2011-01-08T15:04:00.006-07:00

We had such a fun Halloween!

Brooks was a monkey,

Brynnlee was a butterfly,

Aubree was a witch,

And Austin was Superman.

Here we are ready for the Trunk-or-Treat.

After loading up on some candy, we headed up to Larid and Kathy's for a super fun Halloween party. The kids were really surprised to find that Grandma and Grandpa had turned into clowns!

Kathy came up with some way fun games for the kids and even the adults to play.

Then we all made some spider cupcakes.

Brooks wasn't too sure about Grandpa's wig.

Talk about a fun night!!

Halloween Eats

2011-01-08T14:58:00.001-07:00

My friend asked me to cater some of the food for a Halloween party we were invited to. So these were the bites I made:

Evil Eyes

Brain

Lady Fingers

Pretty fun!

V.I.P.

2011-01-08T14:51:00.002-07:00

Aubree was the V.I.P. for her class back in October. She got to take a poster to school that is all about her. And this is what she took...

And this was her super scary, three-eyed monster she made for Halloween! Yikes!!

We sure love Aubree! She's such a sweet, fun-loving little girl.

Spud Harvest 2010

2011-01-08T14:48:00.001-07:00

Another year digging spuds with their dad...

Mesa Falls

2011-01-08T14:29:00.003-07:00

We are so lucky to live in a place that has such amazing beauty so close by. Over conference weekend, we took the kids to the Lower Falls of Mesa Falls. We love to go there because it's not very far, it's free, it's outdoors, and it's so, so pretty. Here are some pictures of our little day-trip...

Brynn & Brooks

All of the kids enjoying the view

Pretty Brynn

Going hiking

Me and my monkeys

Brynn fell down...

so the kids found walking sticks.

Brooks and his daddy

Extra Curriculars

2011-01-08T13:59:00.004-07:00

We've let the kids choose one extra activity to participate in during the school year. Aubree chose to do gymnastics. She's never done gymnastics before, but she is GOOD! I think it's because she's so stinkin' strong. She's loving every minute of it!

Austin chose to do flag football. It was very interesting to see the huge difference in the kids that have played before and the kids, like Austin, who were playing for the first time. We're hoping that things click a little more next year. But, boy, he sure had fun playing!

Back To School

2011-01-08T13:50:00.002-07:00

Austin and Aubree have been in school for 4 full months now and I'm just barely posting their pictures from the beginning of the school year. Nice. At least I'm getting it on here.

Both Austin and Aubree were excited for school to start. Austin's in second grade and Aubree started Kindergarten.

On the first day of school, Aubree decided she wanted to ride the bus with Austin, so I told Austin he had to take her to her classroom so she wouldn't get lost and I would meet her there. When I got to her classroom, I found Aubree in tears. When I asked her why she was crying, she told me that Austin ran off as soon as he got off the bus. So, she was left to wander the school, completely lost, all by herself until a friend of mine found her and took her to her classroom.

I felt so bad for her! But that was only the first day. After that, Austin made sure she made it to her class and she's loved school ever since.

The Cruise - FINALLY!!!

2010-10-04T20:38:00.016-06:00

It's been over two weeks that we've been home and I'm just now posting on our cruise. I apologize for those of you who have been waiting to see pictures, but I was waiting to get our water cameras developed so that I could include those pictures as well.

Now, on to our adventure (BEWARE, lots of pictures to follow)...

Sunday, September 12, Brett and I flew to Texas to meet up with our good, old friends, Matt and Ashley. We hung out at Matt's parent's house in Houston where they treated us like Texas royalty with an amazing Texan BBQ (that meal was the best on our entire vacation).

Monday morning, we headed to Galveston to find our ship and get checked in. After getting settled, we decided to check out the boat, go to dinner, and peruse the ship after dinner.

Tuesday, we were up and ready for a fun day on the ship. We lounged around on the deck only shortly before playing a couple of rounds of miniature golf. Then we went to play on the water slides!

Tuesday evening was the formal night where we all dressed up and had a friendly game of over-sized checkers (since none of us knew how to play chess).

Wednesday was our first stop in Progreso, Yucatan, Mexico. We went on our first excursion with Matt and Ashley, renting dune buggies and driving them to Xambo where there were ancient ruins to explore.

Our guides explained that though these ruins were small, this was like an ancient Super Wal-mart, where people would come to do their trading.

This is where they performed their sacrifices. The chamber on the right is where they held the animal they were going to sacrifice. The stone in the center is where the animal was killed and sacrificed. And the chamber on the left is where they would some of the blood and organs from the animal. Interesting.

The doorways into these rooms were where the priests stayed and people coming to see them had to enter the rooms by crawling on their hands and knees as a sign of respect.

Here we are sitting by the sacrificial stone.

Then we went to a resort on the beach to hang out and relax. It was absolutely beautiful!!!

This is the background on my computer. It makes me happy every time I look at it.

Back to the boat for dinner.

Thursday was our second stop to Cozumel, Mexico. (Those are storm clouds from Hurricane Karl that we had to deal with.)

We went to a resort that had an adventure park. We got all suited up for our challenges of rope climbing, rappelling, rock wall climbing, and zip lining. Though it wasn't as big as we were imagining, I'm sure glad it was the size it was as I was climbing and swinging around.

After the adventure park came the snorkeling. Brett and I took some water cameras with us and these were some of the shots we took...

While snorkeling, I was attacked by a jelly fish. And, no, in case you were wondering, Brett did not have to pee on me to stop the stinging. Our guide put cider vinegar on it. But now I do have a large scar on my arm from that experience.

Brett had a great time snorkeling!

Back to the boat for dinner with our awesome waiter.

They came to sing to us to celebrate our 10 year anniversaries (Matt & Ashley were celebrating theirs too)

Each night our waiter and waitress would sing and dance for us. Ashley and I decided we would get up and boogie with them!

Friday, our last day on the boat, we were looking out into the ocean when we noticed something flying out of the water. We soon learned that they were flying fish!

We decided to join in the excitement and play a little Bingo. We didn't win, but Matt and Ashley were SO close!

And, our last evening on board.

Our wonderful waiter would bring Ashley and I hot chocolate after dinner every night since we were always so cold in the boat.

The lights and glitz of the ship. I thought it was just like a floating casino.

When we got back to pick up the kids on Saturday, we found this banner that they had made for us. Pretty cute!

We sure missed them, but we had such a great time just enjoying each other and being able to reconnect with our good friends. It's something I think we should make time for more often.

He's Walking!!

2010-09-28T11:47:00.003-06:00

When Brett and I got home from our cruise, we were surprised to find Brooks walking!! He's definitely my latest walker finally starting at 16 months, but it's been nice having him not walk. I felt like he was still my baby. I guess my baby's growing up! I love this boy!!!!

Labor Day

2010-09-09T22:25:00.003-06:00

On Labor Day, we came out to the sand dunes for a little while and played around a bit. The kids loved it and we all enjoyed getting a little sunshine and fresh air...

There was a great hill with a steep edge that was just perfect for jumping off of. So we all took turns doing it. It was so fun!!!

Me and my monkey children enjoying some time at the dunes.

Our Summer Plans

2010-09-09T22:08:00.003-06:00

Just before school got out for the summer, the kids and I made a list of something fun to do every day of summer vacation. It was so nice to be able to tell the kids to go look at the list and pick out what they wanted to do for the day. I'm proud to say that we did most of the activities on the list! I'd like to do it again next summer, so I'm putting the list on here so I know I won't lose it and it won't get ruined.

SUMMER PLANS:

Movie of the week
Library
Read-A-Story program
The Craze Funzone
Pajama Day
Treasure Hunt
Take Care of the Garden
Fly a kite
Water games
Make frozen treats
Keep a Notebook Journal
Pet Cam
Be a Chef for a Day
Host an Olympics
"Anything Goes" Lunch
Play with Bubbles
No Electricity Day
Workbooks
Concert at the Park
Fishing
Live Outside for a Day
Family Science Fair
Cupcake Day
Host an Ice Cream Party
Clean up the Neighborhood
Have a Garage Sale
Baseball & T-Ball
Swimming
Go for a Walk
Stargazing
Photo Contest
Scavenger Hunt
River Wade or Tubing
Paint Crazy
Read Aloud
Summer Cleaning
Talent Show
Make Razzle-Dazzle shirts
Host a Game Show
Horse Riding
Indoor Camping
Farmer's Market
Day Trip
Make Fresh Salsa
Make Homemade Lemonade
Archaeological Dig
Go to the Fair
Have a Picnic
Play Board/Card Games
Build a Fort
Make a water park
Go to the Splash Park
Have a Garden Delight Dinner
Play Night Games
Make a Summer Scrapbook
FHE Show & Tell about Summer Activities

B-Day

2010-08-20T11:20:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was my 29th birthday. It was an awesome, AWESOME day!!!

It started out with breakfast, as usual, with Brett and the kids. When we were finishing up, Brett pulled out a present from he and the monkeys. They got me a new set of scriptures - green ones, my favorite color! The scriptures that I've had were the ones that I got when I got baptized with "Hannah Good" inscribed on them. Let me just tell you how excited I am!! Mostly because it was a very thoughtful gift from Brett.

Then we went about our day, taking it easy, chatting with friends on the phone, when all of a sudden, my friend, Jesi, stopped by. She told me that she was here to pick up the kids since I had an appointment at one of the local beauty schools, and to hurry so I wouldn't miss it. I couldn't believe it! So off I went and was totally pampered with an hour long pedicure - the best one I've ever had!!! It was WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!

After I had picked up the kids, we stopped at home really quick and was surprised to find a gift bag on the steps in my garage! My sweet friend, Robyn had stopped by to give me a FABULOUS bag to take on our cruise!! I had been eyeing one just like it and was tickled pink to have gotten it from Robyn!!!!

Soon after, the kids and I ran to Rexburg really quick to do some shopping (which I had great luck with!). When we came home, we found cupcakes on my bar with a note from another friend. They were sooooooooooooooooooooooo delicious!!! I soon checked my email and found LOTS of birthday wishes from my family.

We went back to town to drop something by another friend and when we got there, her boys were playing outside. When they saw me, they said, "Hannah! We have a surprise for you!!!" My friend, Shanna, had made me some super yummy ice cream cups for my birthday!

When we finally made it back home, I started to get ready for my date with Brett. My babysitter came over an hour early so we could have more time on our date. Brett and I went to Idaho Falls to dinner, ran some errands at Sam's Club, and then he took me shoe shopping! I found some pretty hot shoes that I'm way excited about, and headed home. When we got home, our babysitter showed us all of the things she and the kids made for me - treats and cards - and then told me she was sitting for free.

It was such a wonderful, wonderful day! Not because of the gifts that I got, but because I was showered with so much love. I'm so lucky to have the friends and family that I do. I am truly blessed!!! So thank you all for making me feel so loved yesterday! It made for one of the best birthdays ever!!!!!

Updating

2010-07-27T14:48:00.001-06:00

It's been a while since I've posted on my blog. But today, I had some free time and did some much needed updating. The next six posts are all new. So read on...

Aubree's Accident

2010-07-27T14:19:00.002-06:00

Last Sunday evening was a gorgeous evening! We decided we would go on a family bike ride. The kids really wanted to go down the big hill by our house. I was refusing since I had the bike trailer with the two little ones on the back of my bike and didn't want to haul them back up the hill. But I eventually gave in and we went down the hill.

As Aubree was flying down (Brett's guessing we were going close to 30 mph), she lost control of her bike and crashed. She scraped up her arms, her chest, and her whole face. But to look at her and then at her bike, you would be amazed that she wasn't hurt worse than she was. Her bike was mangled! The handles were bent, her seat was twisted with huge chunks taken out of it. She obviously had angels watching over her. No bones were broken, no teeth went missing, no stitches needed - an absolute miracle.

She is such a tough little girl. Brett convinced her to jump back on her bike and ride it back home. She's so amazing.

It's so sad to see all of her scrapes, but I'm so thankful that it wasn't anything more than just scrapes.

I love my tough little cookie!!!

Backyard Camping

2010-07-27T13:47:00.006-06:00

I've had an itch to go camping and the kids have all wanted to go too. Our only problem is Brooks. He sleeps so well in his crib, I would hate to have him be fussy all night long and keep everyone awake in a tent.

So, we came up with the idea that we'd try camping with the kids in the backyard to see how they'd do. That way, we could still put Brooks in his crib to sleep and be right outside if he needed us, while we were trying out camping in a tent.

It worked out GREAT!! We had bathrooms to use if we needed them. We could run into the kitchen if we forgot something and yet we could still enjoy a campfire, cooking outside, watching the stars, and sleeping in a tent. We all had so much fun!!!

The only change I'd make for the future is getting a bigger tent. One with seperate rooms. Then I wouldn't have to deal with Aubree kicking me, or hitting me, or elbowing me, or her pulling my hair as she slept.

But, aside from that, we had so much fun!!!

Yep, we all crammed in here

What camping experience would be complete without s'mores?!

The kids were so excited to sleep outside!

We're all looking forward to more of this in the future!!!!

Haulin' Hay

2010-07-27T13:37:00.004-06:00

We had our first day of hauling hay a few weeks ago. The kids were so excited. Well, for the most part. Austin was mad that I was driving the pickup and not him. But he drove after I went inside to put Brooks to bed. Here are some pictures of our day haulin' hay...

Our cute chunky monkey!!

And finally, a quick picture of our little piece of Heaven...

Egin Lake

2010-07-27T13:26:00.003-06:00

My friend, Jesi, invited us to go out to the sand dunes to a little lake that's hidden there one day. So, off we went for a day in the sun. We had so much fun!!! I'd never been to Egin Lake before and was suprised to find a body of water right there in the sand dunes! The best part about it was that the deepest it goes is to your knees - PERFECT for little kids to play in.

Austin decided he would build a sand castle. It turned out pretty cool!

Brooks thought it was fun to drive the car around in the water.

And so did Austin.

Brooks isn't too sure about crawling in the water

We had so much fun! We're definitely going to have to go back soon!!!

Heirloom China

2010-07-27T13:10:00.004-06:00

CORRECTION: My grandmother called after she read this post and wanted to correct me on something. This wasn't her mother's china. It was her father's mother's china - making that my Great, Great Grandmother's china. So, soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo awesome!!!!!!

While we were staying at Janell's home for the 4th of July, she asked me if I'd be interested in taking home some china she had in the basement, still boxed up from her move about 5 years ago. She said that she had never used it once over the last five years and that she probably wouldn't use it and she wanted it out of her house.

I have no china and was thrilled at the idea that I could have some for free! So I said, "YES, I'll take it!" There were two sets, one set was Janell's that she had purchased a while ago that was cream with blue and green flower details and silver lining around the edges. Very beautiful.

But was I was most excited for, was this antique set that was my great grandmother's (my grandma Eastman's mother). It is cream with sliver around the edges and silver detailing on it. It is just BEAUTIFUL!!!! I LOVE the angled edges and the handled soup bowls!

I just absolutely LOVE it!!! And mostly for the sentimental value it has. I found an article on the company that made it and the china itself. You can read it HERE. It was made in the 1930's and I wonder how my great grandmother was able to afford it, especially when it was right around the Great Depression. Anyway, I may never know, but I love, love, love it!! So, thank you, Janell, for this treasure!!!

4th of July

2010-07-27T12:42:00.003-06:00

I have some SERIOUS catching up to do on here. So, I'll start, way back at the 4th of July. I had bought Brett tickets to the Stadium of Fire for his birthday. Carrie Underwood was the main performer and I thought that'd be something he'd really enjoy going to, since going to rodeos and concerts are kind of our thing we like doing together.

So, Brett's mom took the kids while we headed down to meet up with my family in Utah. We had a wonderful barbecue at my aunt Janell's house with everyone, then we went to see my brother and sister-in-law, Andrew and Tat's apartment and their new pets - sugar gliders. I should have taken pictures, but they are SOOOOOOOOOOOO adorable!!!! The way Andrew described them to me once, was that they were kind of like flying squirrels. Kind of.

Anyway, after that, we went to BYU for the Stadium of Fire and waited for it to start. Tat got us all the tickets and they were AWESOME seats!!! We were so excited to be there!!

We went with Andrew, Tat, Janell, my mom, and Nicole. My sister, Lynae, was there too, but in different seats.

After a SPECTACULAR concert and fireworks show, we made it home, late that night. The next morning, we got up early to make it to the Music & The Spoken Word in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. They were performing their 4th of July show and had the orchestra playing as well. It was so amazing!!

And since that was our first time being in the Conference Center, afterward, we took ourselves on a little tour of the building. It's an incredible place!

We had such a fun time, even if it was only for one night. The chance for us to slip away without the kids was such a fun treat for the both of us. So, a BIG thanks to Kathy for watching them!!!

Visit From My Mom

2010-07-07T21:31:00.005-06:00

We LOVE it when my mom comes to visit!! And this time, she stayed for an entire week! It was so nice to have her. As always, we upheld our tradition of baking while she was here, and tried lots of new recipes. And she, as always, comes bearing new clothes for almost everyone.

We took her to the splash park and the carousel for some fun.

One evening a strong thunderstorm swept through taking out our power. The kids thought it was pretty fun to have everything done by candlelight.

We all went on bike rides!

Mom was such a good sport to help feed the calves. A new experience for her!

And just before she left, we made a trip up to the temple with the kids to walk and look around. We decided we would make this another tradition.

It was so great to have my mom here to visit. We all love her so much!!!

Aubree's 5!!

2010-07-07T17:18:00.004-06:00

Aubree turned 5 years old!! She was so excited that she could have her Grandma Good here visiting on her birthday. I made her a purse cake this year and I was so pleased with how it turned out. The only thing I regret is not making it the day before, like I usually do with birthday cakes. That way, I can at least get some enjoyment out of looking at them for a day before they get demolished. I finished the purse just as Brett's family started to arrive for the party.

These are Aubree's cousin's, Bretta on the left and Emalee on the right. Emalee's birthday is in May, Aubree's birthday is in June, and Bretta's birthday is in July. They are a cute bunch of girls, who happened to all be wearing flowers in their hair that day.

My aunt, Janell, gave Aubree and Brynnlee a set of pillowcases and shams that match perfectly to the blankets on their beds.

Austin decided, all by himself, to make this banner for Aubree's birthday. It says, "I heart you Aubree" in balloons with flowers and a star underneath. So sweet of him!!

We love Aubree so much. She's such a sweet, tender-hearted little girl who is growing so fast. She's so much fun and we couldn't do without her!

Splash Park

2010-06-24T20:53:00.004-06:00

It looks like summer is finally here to stay! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's about time, too!! We took advantage of the warm temperatures today and went to the splash park with some friends of ours. I think we went once last summer and probably once the summer before that, but this year, I'm determined to go a lot more often this year.

When I told the kids we were going to go this morning, Austin said, "This summer just gets better and better." Funny little guy.

The kids were so excited when we got there and took their sweet time getting into the water.

But once they got in, they really enjoyed it. Even Brooks!

The best way to warm up...
Brooks thought he was pretty funny as he kept pulling Austin's towel off of him.

We sure did have a great time and can't wait to go back when Grandma Good comes to visit next week!!

Brooks Boy Turns 1

2010-06-24T20:14:00.003-06:00

We celebrated Brooks' first birthday with his cousin, Conn, who was born the day before Brooks. It was so much fun! I made them a choo-choo train cake and my sister-in-law invited everyone over for a cookout so that the kids could have some place to play outside (since all we have are weeds, hay, and dirt). It was so nice of them! Everyone had a great time.

It was so fun to watch Brooks and Conn interact with each other. I'm pretty sure that they are going to be really good pals when the get older. It was so cute how they would follow each other around and play with whatever the other was playing with. They're both such sweet boys!

Brooks thoroughly enjoyed his cake!

Saturday, which was Brooks' actual birthday, we went to Taylor Chevrolet's annual car show. As usual, we each picked out our favorite car from the show...

This one was Austin's favorite. It reminded him of Bumblebee on Transformers.

Here is Aubree's favorite. Can you guess why it's her favorite???

This one was my favorite! I love old Corvette's!!!

And, here is Brett's favorite. Apparently it was most people's favorite since it won most of the awards.

Anyway, it was a super fun day and I can't believe Brooks is a year old already!! He is such a sweet little boy with a great big heart. I wouldn't trade him for anything. I love my Brooks boy.

T-Ball & Baseball

2010-06-15T15:46:00.004-06:00

Aubree and Austin have been playing T-ball and Baseball this summer. They've been having so much fun and are both improving greatly! Here's a video of Aubree and her awesome swing and a picture of Austin up to bat...

I'm so impressed with Austin; he's playing machine-pitch baseball this year and the machine that they use is fast! But Austin is able to hit it almost every time!! I am one proud mama of both of these kids!

Austin's 7th Birthday

2010-06-15T15:21:00.003-06:00

Austin turned 7 years old last week! I can't believe that I have a seven year old!! But it's true. He had a super fun day. He started out the day by cheering on Aubree at T-ball and cheering on me at coaching T-ball. (That was quite the experience, but all I will say is that I didn't hit any of the kids while pitching. I may have come close MANY times, but luckly didn't hit anyone.) Then he had baseball practice. And after that, we picked up his best friend next door and went to the Craze Funzone.

There Austin, Carson, and Aubree played black-light laser tag while Brynnlee played in the little kids' playzone.

It was so fun to watch them run around, chasing each other. Then we all hit the arcade and played lots of different games there.

We got a couple of pizzas and headed home to eat and bring out the birthday cake. This year, I made Austin a pirate ship birthday cake. He LOVED it! And I was so happy with how easy it was. It turned out pretty cute!

He was so excited to get some new summer jammies with dinosaurs and monster trucks on them. His real present was new baseball gear.

It was a good day. I love my Austin so much. He is the absolute BEST helper I have! He's such a good boy. I love, love, LOVE my Austin!!!

The Little Red Hen

2010-06-14T17:25:00.000-06:00

Aubree's Pre-School Graduation

2010-06-14T15:23:00.002-06:00

My Aubree has graduated from pre-school!! She had a fun year and a super sweet teacher. They did the most adorable play for the graduation ceremony. It was a cute rendition of "The Little Red Hen" and Aubree played the dog. She did a great job! I'm so proud of her for working hard this school year. She is so excited about Kindergarten next school year. But first, we will be enjoying our summer!

What a cute little doggie!!

Getting her diploma

I can't believe how big she's gotten! She's just growing right up!!

First Hair Cut

2010-06-14T15:17:00.002-06:00

It's been a while since I posted last, like a month and a half. And I don't think I've even been

on here to see what others have been up to, until today. It's been nice to check up on everyone and read their blogs. And now I'm finally updating mine!

Brooks had his first hair cut a couple of months ago. I wanted to take pictures of it to show you what a difference it made. But I just noticed that I didn't get an after picture. Nice. So you'll just have to trust me, that hair cut made him look like a little man. He's such a cute boy and I LOVE how squishy he is!!

Warm Weather

2010-04-28T10:17:00.003-06:00

Over the last couple of weeks, we've been having the most gorgeous weather!! Living in Idaho, you never know if it'll be staying or not. So we enjoyed the outdoors while we could. And it's a good thing we did because now it's windy and cold again. Bummer!

A picnic at the park...

Fun times at the park! I'm hoping the warm weather will be back soon so we can get back out there!!

Brett's Birthday

2010-04-28T09:53:00.004-06:00

We celebrated Brett's 32nd birthday on Friday. Aubree and Brynnlee helped me work on Brett's cake almost all day!

I promise we don't usually bake like this. : )

Brett asked for a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, so that's just what he got - a three layer dark chocolate cake with whipped ganach filling and a smooth ganach cover. (If you'd like the recipe, I'll be putting in on my food blog today.)

Happy birthday to my Honey!!! We love him so much and couldn't do without him!

Easter

2010-04-28T09:41:00.002-06:00

We had a lovely Easter day at our house! We enjoyed listening to conference, then we had a little Easter egg hunt for the kids, which they always love.

Later that afternoon, we went to Brett's parents for dinner when Austin pulled his second front tooth. Now he really has a toothless grin.

It was a very simple and happy day.

This is just a random picture of Brett and Brynn. I have one of Brett and Aubree doing the exact same thing when she was this size. The kids sure do love their daddy!!

Visit with Mom

2010-04-28T09:01:00.003-06:00

It's been a while since I've last posted. We've had so much going on and the best news... Brynnlee's officially potty trained!!!!!!! It took three weeks, but she did it! I'm so proud of her. During those three weeks, my mom came to visit. We all LOVE it when she comes!! There's lots of cooking, baking, crafting, reading, playing, and my favorite - fashion shows!!! It's always so much fun to have Grandma Good come visit. Here are some things we did while she was here...

My mom had all sorts of dinosaur crafts and books for the kids to do. They just ate it up!

She got Austin and Aubree some great hats. Aubree's just fits her personality perfectly. Austin's came from Sea World in Florida and it has a switch that you can flip on and it will make the fireworks on the hat light up. Austin just thinks it's so awesome!!!

There's always cooking and baking!

Brooks was so happy to spend some time with Grandma. It's been a while since he's seen her. He must have seemed like a whole different baby to her!

Mom wanted to go check out the cows and the new calf. While she was still here, another calf was born!

We always love to have my mom stay with us. And always look forward to her next trip to Robinson Ranch!!

Brynn & Brooks

2010-04-01T13:08:00.003-06:00

Brynnlee and Brooks went in for check-ups last week - Brynn for her two year and Brooks for his 9 month. We learned a few things about each of them. Brynnlee is 32 1/2 inches tall which puts her in the 20th percentile for her height and she weighs 26 lbs, putting her in the 40th percentile for her weight.

Brooks measured 28.8 inches long, which is the 75th percentile in length. And he weighs 20 lbs, putting him in the 45th percentile for his weight. So, yes, he's still a big boy!

Brynnlee had to get one shot. Afterward, she kept telling everyone that she got her pre-school shots (since Aubree had to get her Kindergarten shots two weeks ago). She was pretty proud of that. We also learned that she has eczema, pesky itchy spots that will never go away.

But aside from that, they are both doing well and growing beautifully. In fact, Brynnlee has been potty training this week and has been doing pretty well. I'm crossing my fingers that she'll get it quickly and we'll be done with potty training soon!!

I so love my kids!!!

Toothless

2010-03-22T12:17:00.002-06:00

Austin has had two loose teeth on top for a while now. One of them has been so loose that he could close his mouth and his tooth would stick out from between his lips. It was barely hanging on by a thread for DAYS! He did not want to pull it!!

Yesterday before breakfast, Brett convinced Austin to tie a thread around it "just for fun." So he went along with it. Brett tied the knot so tight that he couldn't get the string off of the tooth. The only other option was to just pull the tooth out. Austin was not going to church with a string tied around his tooth, so he bucked up and pulled it out.

It's so funny now to look at him and see a toothless grin. Austin's getting so big!!

Aubree's Getting Ready For Kindergarten

2010-03-17T18:44:00.004-06:00

Aubree had to get registered for Kindergarten last week and to do that, she had to get her Kindergarten shots beforehand. I took her into the doctor and she was weighed and measured. We learned that Aubree is 3'7" tall, which puts her in the 75th percentile for her height. And she weighs 49 pounds, putting her in the 95th percentile for her weight. The poor girl is growing just like her mama did. In fact, I was as tall as I am now by the fifth grade.

For her shots, she had to get four different vaccines - getting poked four different times. But she was amazing. Aubree didn't even cry!! She is one tough cookie!!! Austin balled when he got his shots. I was so proud of Aubs!

She's growing like a weed and she's got the most fun and funny personality. Just take a look at these pictures...

We are sure lucky to have Aubree as a part of our family. We all love her so much!

Brynnlee Is 2!!

2010-03-02T21:33:00.003-07:00

Today is Brynnlee's birthday and I can't believe that she already TWO!!!! She had a very full day of fun! At walking today she got to play with all of her favorite friends. Then she helped me decorate her cake by trying all of the candy to see which ones tasted good. She really liked that part! And later this evening, Brett's parents came over for cake and ice cream. It was a sweet and simple celebration for this sweet and simple little girl! We sure love our Brynner Baby!!! Happy birthday, Brynn!

I was having a hard time thinking of what to get Brynnlee for her birthday, so finally I just asked her what she wanted. She thought for a minute and replied, "Shoes!" That's my kind of girl!!!

Here she is brushing her hair with her new brush that's just her size. Kathy made this ADORABLE quilt for Brynn's baby dolls. It is so CUTE!!!

She LOVED her butterfly cake!!

Oh, and Brooks started to crawl today! Not just his normal army/worm crawl, but really crawling!! He's getting so big!

Our Family Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T10:51:00.006-07:00

We had a GREAT Valentine's weekend!! Brett had the day off on Saturday, but was planning on doing some sandblasting for most of the day. But he found out that the trucks he was going to sandblast weren't ready yet. So instead, he asked me if I wanted to go snowmachining. We all thought that sounded like fun and headed up.

Kathy was so kind to keep Brooks as we bundled up the rest of us and headed out. We didn't get too far when one of the snowmachines broke down. So we just took turns riding the good one. I didn't think Brynnlee would last very long, but she loved it! I think we were out for about an hour and she didn't complain once. Brett was so proud.

Brynn looked so funny with her big helmet head!

Here we are heading out to snowmachine as a family!

Me, Austin, and Aubree

Brett and Brynnlee

Then on Sunday morning, I had set out these treat cones, one for each of the three older kids, filled with candy. They went on their heart hunt to find hidden hearts around the house. While Brett was making us breakfast, the kids painted the hearts that they found and were so excited to find hidden messages on each one!

After breakfast, we got ready and went to church. Right afterward, the kids and I went and heart-attacked a girl's door up on campus that we know. Then we headed home and worked on making our special Valentine's Day dinner. The kids helped me decorate the table with lots of candles and candy. They were so excited to eat dinner in the candle light. And that was pretty much the extent of our Valentine's weekend.

Brett and I decided not to do gifts this year. Instead we just all spent time together with each other. We so rarely get to do that, it was such a treat!! And really, Brett couldn't have bought me anything that I would like more than to just spend time with him. I have to say that this was the BEST Valentine's Day/Weekend I've ever had! I so love my little family!!

Finishing Projects

2010-02-08T13:02:00.002-07:00

I finally got my bow boards finished and up. They are so handy and cute!! I'm making another one for my sister. So when I do that, I'll take some pictures and post instructions.

And we FINALLY got these boards finished and up. Well, almost finished. I'm still going to put clothes pins on my message board so that things like drawing from the kids, wedding announcements, papers from school, and so on, don't take up the metal board space. But that should be fairly painless to do.
Yay for getting things done!

Craft Day

2010-01-29T22:28:00.004-07:00

I had a craft day today at my house with some of my friends. I wanted to make bow boards since I desperately need a place to hang all of our bows! So that's what we did, and they turned out so stinkin' CUTE!!!! And now I'm not so sure that I want to stop making them. They are so much fun. I made three today and have most of the materials to make six more. I just need more ribbon.

It was a super fun day. Well, that is until Brooks rolled down the stairs. He's okay, it just scared him. That was a bummer deal. But the boards were FUN!!!

This one I'm giving away

These ones are mine

Like I said, I'm going to be making more. Anybody want one?!

Sweet

2010-01-20T20:16:00.003-07:00

Aubree has her moments where she's super sweet and adorable. She had one of those as we were driving home from the grocery story yesterday afternoon. She sits next to Brooks in the Tahoe. All of a sudden, she leans over him in his seat and starts talking to him in her high-pitched, sing-songy voice saying, "Oh, Brooks, I love you. Oh, yes I do! Yes, that's right. I love you. Were you with Jesus before you were born? Oh, yes you were. Yeeeeesss you were! You got to talk to him, didn't you? Yeeeeesssss! He's your friend, huh, Brooks? Yes he is. Oh, yes he is."

It was one of those moments that makes it worth being a mom. I love my kids, so fresh from Heaven.

Chunky Monkey

2010-01-13T10:33:00.006-07:00

Brooks had his six month check up yesterday, even though he'll be seven months old next week. Oops! Oh well, he's still in his sixth month. And I didn't want him to be miserable just before Christmas recovering from shots. So we waited. And it's a good thing; he's been a bear since his shots!

He's been growing nicely. He weighs 18.8 lbs, which puts him in the 60th percentile and is 27.5 inches long - the 72nd percentile. There's nothing little about this guy! He's definitely our chunky monkey!!

Right now, he's rolling ALL over the place. We really have to keep an eye on him. He sits up now on his how for almost a minute! And he LOVES his baby food (if you couldn't tell)! Ooh, except for green beans, I've just found out. He's a good eater, good sleeper, and such a happy baby, aside from getting shots and teeth. I'm so lucky to have such a good baby, finally!! We all love our Brooks boy!

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

2010-01-09T14:03:00.006-07:00

Here she is - the little MONSTER!!!

Brynnlee's been driving me CRAZY lately!! Let me tell you about my day on Tuesday. Aubree was running late for pre-school so we were rushing around trying to get her ready before her ride came to get her. Just as they arrived, Aubree had run into the bathroom to use it. She finished as fast as she could and ran out the door. Once Aubree was gone, Brynnlee and I sat down for some lunch. She made a mess as usual, so I cleaned her up and put her down to play while I cleaned up the table, chair, and floor.

When I finished, I noticed that Brynn was very quiet and decided I'd better go check on her. She was in the bathroom, playing in the toilet - the toilet that Aubree was in too much of a hurry to flush. Yep, she was elbow deep in pee-water. And not only that, but she had grabbed the toilet brush and was using that to fling pee-water all over the bathroom. Everything was drenched - the walls were dripping, the towels hanging on the walls were wet, the floor was soaked, and the rugs were sopping. I just about threw up.

I grabbed Brynnlee, put her in the empty bathtub, took off her soaked shirt, and made her stay in the tub while I got everything cleaned up. I washed the walls and floor and toilet with Pine Sol. Scrubbed the toilet again with Lysol toilet cleaner. I started the washer with the towels and rugs.

When everything was finally clean. I opened the shower curtain to bathe Brynn. And what did I find? Brynnlee covered in shampoo, head to toe, and let me remind you that she still had pants and a diaper on and her hair done for the day. She still lathered herself right up. So I bathed her and threw her clothes in the wash too.

Once she was cleaned and dressed - again, I put her down to play, shutting the bathroom doors, and started on the vacuuming. After only a few minutes, I noticed that the entire contents of the diaper bag (and that's a lot of stuff for both Brynnlee and Brooks) were strewn all over the floor in my bedroom. I sent her out and cleaned it up.

I started to vacuum again and came into the family room to find that Brynnlee had emptied two bags of cereal onto the carpet. That was it. I had had it!!!! I made her help clean it up then sent her to her room for a nap. And I went to my room too.

2009 In Review

2010-01-07T21:50:00.003-07:00

My sister-in-law, Shannon, had this on her blog and I thought it was a good way to summarize the past year. So here's my rendition:

Where did you begin 2009? Driving home from the cabin
What was your status by Valentine's Day? Married with three kids
Were you in school? Nope, thank goodness!!
Did you have to go to the hospital? I did to have a baby and to visit Brett when he smashed his toes under a trailer jack.
Did you have any encounters with the police? Yes, one awful day when I left Aubree in the house watching cartoons as I got my hair done right next door. And Brett did too - twice in one week and both times he was let off with a warning.
Where did you go on vacation? We went to Mesquite, NV and had sooooooo much fun!
What did you purchase that was over $500? A house and a sectional. It literally makes me sick to spend money like that!
Did you know anyone who got married? Yep, my little brother, Andrew.
Did you move anywhere? Yes. We moved across the driveway from our mobile home to the house.
What sporting events did you attend? Lots of T-ball last summer
What concerts/shows did you attend? My mother-in-law took us to see Wicked. How lucky are we?!
Where do you live now? In Salem, Idaho
Describe your birthday. It was kind of crappy. I won't go into it, but Brett took me out for dinner and that was nice.
What's the one thing you thought you would never do, but did in 2009? Did the make-up on my sister's body after she passed away.
Any new additions to the family? Baby Brooks and our puppy girl, Angel
What was your best month? August, when I read the whole Twilight series
What music will you remember 2009 by? "I Know You Want Me" from our exercise class
What would you have changed about 2009? So many things
What did you like most about 2009? Learning how important my friends are to me
Other than home, where did you spend most of your time? At the church
Change your hair style? Yes, I went from a light brown to a deep, dark brown
How old did you turn in 2009? 28
Any new years resolutions for 2010? Oh yeah! Check my previous post.
What was your favorite purchase this year? Decorations for the house and an IUD
Did you get sick this year? Yes, the day of my sister-in-law's baby shower that I was hosting at my house. Needless to say, we had to make some last minute changes on the location.
Start a new hobby? Making cheesecakes
What are you wishing for in 2010? Just an all around better year!

2010 Resolutions

2010-01-06T15:27:00.003-07:00

I know I'm really slacking in this post and the previous one, but hey, at least I'm getting them on here.

I am so excited for the new year!!! I've got high hopes for this year being a better one than last and I'm going to work really hard to make it so.

I LOVE making new year resolutions every year. It's a chance for me to find ways to become better than I am, write them down, and really work on them.

Here are my resolutions for 2010:

1. Organize the house
2. Make a menu calendar every month again
3. Keep excersizing
4. Get to a size 4
5. Eat less sugar
6. Potty train Brynnlee
7. Read more with the kids
8. FHE EVERY week
9. Scripture study with the kids
10. Attend the temple once a month
11. Entertain more
12. Do more service (I'm shooting for at least once a week)
13. Take more day trips as a family

So we'll see how it goes, but so far, I've been doing really well and I hope to keep it up!

New Year's Eve

2010-01-06T15:11:00.005-07:00

On New Year's Eve, Brett's cousin invited us up to the cabin that they were staying in. We had such a nice time eating dinner, playing games, watching movies, and visiting with family. Thanks B.J. and Maja!!

Here are some pictures of our evening...

Brynn and Jaren fixing a trailer

Brynn and Owen, B.J. and Maja's little one

Me and my Brooks boy

Brynnlee found a fun place to play cars

The big game table

Some of the kids watched a movie downstairs

It was such a gorgeous cabin! And we all had a great time. Until our drive home, that is, when Brett got pulled over by a police officer for not signaling before he turned. I tried to bribe the officer with some banana bars and he let us off with a warning. PHEW!!! So goodbye 2009 and hello 2010! I'm so happy to see you. We'll hope for a better year this year!!