Memories

Where did June go!? This month has been full of fun moments for our little family of three. We have been truly blessed this summer. Our team down here is doing AMAZING! We love having Garrett, Kayla here with us along with our friends. Becky lives downstairs and she is keeping me sane this summer. She just had her first little boy and I can not wait to go to the hospital tomorrow and meet him. Brynlee is growing up so fast. She is crawling after us wherever we go. She is also discovering the bitter taste of pain. She falls down bringing chairs and vases down on top of her. She also fell off the couch this morning (I don't beat my child!). Fathers day was most wonderful! I love my father, he is a most amazing man. I also love my father in law. What an example he must have set for his son's, Austin is the best husband and father. Father's day also lead my thoughts to my grandfather who are both on the other side. I love them and I am so glad that I got to spend so many years living down the street from both of them. My mom was able to come and visit us for an entire week! Oh how I looked forward to that day ever since we set the date! How rare is it that I get to have my mom to myself for an entire week,... I would have to say this was the first time. She is one of my best friends.

After we went and picked her up from the airport we drove out to Santa Cruz and visited Natural bridges! How fun was that! It was a little chilly and I had told her not to bring anything warm to wear (Fresno had been in the hundreds). The waves were crashing on the rocks and the mist blowing in our face.

We also had the opportunity to visit Austin's childhood memory. Austin grew up in San Jose CA for much of his boyhood. As we drove down the "Old Loggers Road" he went on and on, story after story about different memories he had while living at the end of this long twisty road. I, growing up in Idaho, had never seen a road so curvy and narrow that there are mirrors placed on the curve so you can see what is coming the other way. This may be hard for you who have never seen this before to picture but these roads when you go around the corner you are doing a complete 180! It is like doing a U turn! Not to mention that only one car can fit on this road at a time. We were told of when there where huge land slides, one in particular, that their blue van had to take multiple runs at to conquer. This is when Scott declared "That is it! We are getting a different car!" Austin says he remember going to the car dealership with the van still so covered in mud that you couldn't tell it's color. The rain would also create puddles on the side of the road that Wendee would swerve to hit and create a "big splash". Also the "rivers" that would form on the side of the road that Austin and the rest of the gang would race "boats" down.

When we pulled up to the house the guy came out and told us we could have a look around. I couldn't figure out where the front door was? I later came to find out it is in the back of the house,... We went down to the "castles" as Austin remembers calling them. "They use to be a lot bigger."

They would play in these for hours. Cowboys and Indians was amongst their favorites. Austin would dress up in a leather outfit that he wore until the sleeves were so short they barely covered his elbows. They had a life size teepee out beyond the chicken coop. "The indians were the good guys". As for the bad guys, they had  designated a "dungeon" to keep them in.

This was a scary, dark place. There were spiders of every kind! Here are a few more toys that they played on...

It was so much fun to revisit the place that so many of Austin's childhood memories took place. The work that they put into this place, their legacy, still lives there in the mountains of Los Gatos.

Sequoia National Park

Even though most people I talk to tell me that we live in the "armpit" of California, we are surrounded by beautiful parks! We decided randomly while sitting in sacrament meeting that we were going to go enjoy our Father in Heaven's beautiful creations. We hurried home and made some tin foil dinners (which turned out amazing) packed up a few things we thought we might need, and off we went. We invited our team to go with us, and all but three came. Also Becky who is very much pregnant came and made the entire hike! GO BECKY! Austin and I got a backpack to carry Brynlee in for mothers/fathers day, and she loved it! She was so happy, and kept laughing and smiling at everything! The 4 mile hike was beautiful and the weather was perfect.

Jonny, Kayla, Me, Austin, Jared, Jimmy, and Quinn. Becky took this picture for us. This is the entrance into Sequoia National Park.

And here is the the very happy Brynlee. She loves her new back pack!

Everything is so green and beautiful!

Brynlee fell asleep when by the time we reached the waterfall. How sweet is this?

Tinfoil dinners!

The biggest tree in the world! Pictures don't do it justice...

California May

May this year has flown by! Actually this entire year has been going so fast I can't blink without things in my life changing! Brynlee is now 7 months old, crawling, and is so much fun! She is generally a happy baby, hardly ever crying. She does however like to scream to get my attention. She still tries to get into her dirty bundles of joy and spread the love around. She loves to eat,...

This is chocolate, not poo.

Mothers Day this year was so wonderful! Austin is so good to me. It also meant something completely different then last year. First of all I am a mother, and second I now know what my mother went through to bring me into this world.  I am so grateful for her! Austin took me out to dinner the night before, then cooked me a delicious dinner with scrumptious cookies! We skyped our families and we even got to skype Ben ( he was skyping my mom on her computer and we were skyping Tiff). It was a most wonderful day!

We also bought Brynlee a swimming suite! She loves the water!

Happy Mothers Day

           Happy Mothers Day to a most wonderful Mother! This Beautiful woman will probably never know how much I truly love and appreciate her. She is a big reason I am who I am. I love her so very much and wish that I could be there to spend this special day with her! I love you mom.

Bouncy Bounce....

Brynlee has found a new love for moving! She loves her jumper! With this much energy already, I can only imagine how busy this little body will be when she starts to crawl and walk! I am going to have my hands full!

Pooh Dough

Pooh Dough. Yes, it is exactly what you are thinking... Life as a mother could never be boring, at least not in this mother's house. Brynlee is full of surprises, both pleasant and unpleasant... but most being pleasant. I guess that is why today's unpleasant surprise was only unpleasant for about ten minutes. Brynlee has found her voice. She could give Austin's family while playing games (which can become very loud) a run for their money! She loves to babble, gurggle, and yell. She is not much of a crier, but when she is upset you, and all around you, know she is not a happy camper! Today has been full of noise in our little apartment. Austin pulled a muscle in his back yesterday and has been home with a headache. He not fully appreciating the noise tried to ignore it with some sleep. I also have become good at letting her work her problems out and got on the computer to try and find something that I could do other then heat and IBU to help Austin out. Well, I was on the computer for about fifteen minutes when I realized that there was no noise coming from behind me... I glanced over at the couch, where Austin had fallen asleep and where Brynlee was no longer playing on the floor with her toys. Out of the corner of my eye I see her over by the door. You can imagine my surprise to find her all the way across the room... And my shock when I realize what had lured her over there. Earlier I had thrown a poopy diaper over to the door to take out when I next left. Brynlee had found this little bundle interesting enough to venture over and pry it open. Yes my daughter was covered in pooh, as was the tile and the carpet. "Oh Yuck!" I exclaimed, and she looked over startled, then smiled to see me on my way over to pick her up... Into the tub it was for her and mom was totally disgusted!

What is there to learn from all of this?
1. Your baby wont die from playing in pooh (and hopefully won't get sick)
2. To never leave dirty diapers where they can tempt curious little bodies
3. Laughing is a great remedy for what could be a very frustrating situation

I love being a mom! There is nothing greater that I could be doing with my life. What a blessing!

Scooting Along

Brynlee just hit the six month mark on Friday! She weighs 17.6 lbs (give or take) and is off the charts for her height! She is the happiest baby, smiling at everyone, stealing hearts... at least her mom and dad's! She likes to talk really loud and to lay in bed with us in the mornings. There is nothing better then waking up to Bryn and Austin in bed with me! My life is wanting for nothing! I am so happy! Here is Brynlee scooting along, any bets on how long it will be before she is crawling?