Brooke's Eyebrows

She learned this new trick and can't stop!!

Flips

The kids love to play with Doug. They love all the tricks and wrestling...they have a great dad!!

Silly Kids

Dallin and Brooke love to dress up. I feel like I'm
taking them in and out of clothes all day long!

Dallin and Brooke are so funny! Dallin is constantly telling ridiculous jokes and telling me that I need to laugh more. I love having conversations with him because he is always so interested in all that I have to say and asks so many questions. He's a very logical person and I love all the observations that he makes. A few nights ago we were having hamburgers for dinner and Dallin pulled a sesame seed off his hamburger bun and said, "If I plant this seed in the backyard will I grow a hamburger tree?" He was very excited about this idea and I had to shatter his dream of a hamburger tree! I also have had to get after him for lieing lately...or at least making up extavegant stories to get out of trouble. It's amazing that he thinks that I can't see through the crazy stories, but I also remember trying this tactic on my mom. Today when I asked who dumped the water on the floor, both Dallin and Brooke denied it. After much prying, I finally got him to admit that "he" didn't do it, but his hands did. I said, "Well, next time tell your hands not to dump water on the floor." He then replied, "Well, my hands don't have ears." He's impossible!!

Brooke has such a fun personality. Sometimes I wonder if she is 2 or 12. She has a bit of sass to her and loves to be dramatic about everything. I love the way she tells stories and how excited she gets over the new things that she is learning. Yesterday I caught her practicing funny facial expressions in the mirror. She would smile, then laugh, pucker up her lips, raise her eye brows...it was hillarious. A few nights ago Doug and I were in our bed reading and studying. We had put the kids to bed, but realized they weren't sleeping when Brooke snuck by our room on her way to get some toys. She had her arm over her eyes and Doug and I just looked at each other and shrugged, too tired to stop her yet. On her way back from getting toys she once again had her arm over her eyes, but peeked over it a bit as she passed our door. After she was back in her room we heard Dallin say, "Did they see you?" Brooke said, "Nope!" Doug and I just started laughing. This is also the way Brooke plays hide and seek. She will be in the middle of the room, currled up in a ball with her hands over her eyes. No one can see her if she can't see them!

Visits from family

We were lucky last week and had visits from PaPa, Aunt Ani, Uncle Toot, and the little girls. It was so fun to have company and it was great to see family. We went to the beach and then spent some time just relaxing at home. Unfortunately Doug couldn't get much time away from school, but he was able to join us at night. His dad and brother were here for the Thursday night Nebraska game and that was more than Doug could have ever asked for. It's always nice to have someone to cheer with. We were so thankful that PaPa was willing to watch the kids so we could get some sushi and do a little shopping. I'm sure we always get more out of these vacations than those that come down to see us! It was such a treat to have family here!!

More Pictures from New Mexico

New Mexico

We just got back this past weekend from visiting Aunt Julie and our Cousins in New Mexico. They just moved to Albuquerque a few weeks ago and since Uncle Russ was traveling I decided to head out with the kids to keep them company. We had so much fun and already miss them so much!

Albuquerque Aquarium

I love my nephews and my little niece. Parker is a crack up! He loves running around the house with his gloves and goggles and is truly convinced that he is really on a dirt bike! I love it!!

Our "Hike"! It was more of a slow walk because we had 6 kids under the age of 5 with us, but it was beautiful and a lot of fun. The dry heat felt so much better than our Florida humidity.

Cooling Off

My kids love Sadie!! Brooke was smothering her the whole trip and was trying to teach her how to play dolls. She keeps talking about Sadie and calls everyone we see "Her Sadie"

For our sanity we ended up at the park almost every evening.

Fruit Anyone?

I just got back from the grocery store and my little red rat got into the fruit while I wasn't looking. She just can't help herself!! My watermelon has little handfuls taken out of it and there are bite marks all over the pineapple. Anyone want a bite?

Dinosaur Museum and trip to Utah

The kids and I always have so much fun when we go to Utah. They love their grandparents and just being on vacation. This summer Nana took us to the Dinosaur museum and both Dallin and Brooke have been infatuated with Dinosaurs ever since. They loved everything that they saw and had so much fun with Grandma.

Orlando Airport

So. . . .we got a little stuck on the way home from our trip to Utah. After going to the airport 3 times and trying to get on multiple flights, I finally decided that if I wanted to get home I would need to fly into Orlando. Doug agreed that Orlando seemed to be our only option and made the 3 hour trip North to come pick us up. I have been wanting to go to Disney World with the kids all year, but know that while we are in school that probably won't be an option. Fortunately, the airport seemed to excite the kids just as much!!

Fourth of July

Great BBQ and huge fireworks! Another perfect 4th!!

Saturdays

I love the weekend. Doug's home and we can relax after another long week. My great friend Effie let us know the Home Depot was doing projects for kids on Saturday's so we headed down this past weekend. The kids had a blast making little boxes and they were so proud of their little creations.

Swimming

This is going to be a great summer for the pool! Dallin and Brooke beg me everyday to go swimming and they are becoming quite the swimmers because of it. In Orlando I told Dallin that I would jump in the pool with my clothes on if he would jump off the side into the pool. Everyone in my family tried to get him in, but luckily for me...he was too scared. I've been trying ever since, and then one day he just jumped in. Now he can't stop!! His favorite trick is jumping over Doug and a close second is his cannon ball.

Orlando

I have been looking forward to this trip since Christmas! And it was more fun than I could have imagined. My parents, and Amanda & Kurt came down to visit and we all met up in Orlando at a house that they had rented for us. It was so relaxing!! The kids swam all day and when we weren't swimming with them we were reading or just talking by the pool. It was such a needed vacation for us all. My only disappointment was the Doug was not able to come with us. He has finals the week that we went, but he was thankful that I had something to do so that he could study without distractions.