THANKSGIVING 2009

We spent this Thanksgiving with Nate's sister and her in-laws along with Nate's parents. It was a great day to spend with family. This is my favorite moment of the whole day... My cute husband being a cute daddy holding our sleeping babies.

Other cute moments of the day included Nate playing kick ball with Brystal...

And Brystal getting tickled by Grandpa Bennett.

Enjoying a conversation with good family, this is Nate's mom.

And Boston's first Thanksgiving with us. It was a pretty cold night and it was fun to get bundled up together. He was a very good baby on this trip.

We found Brystal playing with blocks all by herself just enjoying the evening. We also watched football and cuddling. I love Thanksgiving so much and it makes me remember how thankful I am for my family, and the one that we are creating.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

We had a great Memorial Day. We took Brystal too the park and then had all of our friends over for a bar b que at our place. I ran to the grocery store to grab a few things before the guests arrived and left Nathan home to fire up the grill and set up the baby pool for all the kids. And I come home and find this....

Who is watching Brystal? Nathan said he just turned his back for a second and then there she was. Not only that, but she took her baby into the pool with her, which isn't a doll that can get wet. Oh well I thought, at least she is having a good time. So I took off her clothes to put on her swimsuit and before I could blink she was back in the pool like this...

Ahhh! Nathan says, "we are not white trash and we don't let our kids run around naked in the backyard" I of course agreed and quickly put her swimsuit back on. Let the party begin!

Now here is Brystal having herself a HUGE peice of watermelon. I couldn't believe how much food this girl ate that day. She ate all her food, then if anyone else left the table, she would eat theirs. This watermelon is not hers. She stole it.

Brystal loves playing with the bigger kids. Here they would line up against the fence then run across the yard to the pool.

Here is a little handful of people I managed to squeeze into a picture. The Carlsons, Nate, Jed Flint, and Ryan Black.

Here are all of Brystal's little buddy's in the pool together. These kids had the time of their life with this baby pool!

I always hate having other people take my picture cause they always say, "that's a great one" and it's the only picture they take and when I get it back, I have crazy eyes. Oh well, Nate looked pretty good in this one which rarely happens, so I'll take it.

Everyone had a great time relaxing by the pool and enjoying good food and good company.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ME

I had a great Mothers Day this year. I woke up to Nathan cooking waffles and bacon. Mmm it was good. Then he had to leave for some meetings, and so I was alone for a couple hours with Brystal. After falling off my bed (after being told to not stand on the bed which she did anyways and went flying off the edge) I cheered Brystal up by painting her toe nails.

She sits so patiently on her little chair with her hands in her lap and she sits there and watches me as I blow on her toes for them to dry.

So pretty and pink.

There was alot of this.....

And this during pretty much the whole day. She didn't even make it through nursery.

So naturally, we had one of these before dinner. Which by the way Nate made the whole dinner himself (except the jello salad, which would have never happened if I didn't step in and do something) He made us some steaks, potatoes, salad, and rolls! What a man!

Then we had some of this... ice cream and brownies, how could Brystal resist this after not eating one bite of her dinner. Oh well Daddy's home, so he'll make sure she gets fed right?

We ended the day with a nice walk around the neighborhood ( which actually was quite painful for me because I sprained my ankle the other day long story short, but at least I can walk) And I got alot of love from my babies, even though the one inside me shows love by kicking me. I know he loves me. And Brystal does too even when she's having a bad day. I have such a great little family who loves me.

SOPHIE'S, ER, I MEAN BRYSTAL'S EASTER EGG HUNT

Well, here is our attempt to doing an Easter egg hunt for Brystal. I imagined she would think it was loads of fun to run around the yard and pick up all the colorful eggs laying in the grass and putting them in her basket. Instead, she wandered around the yard barely even noticing the eggs while Sophie had the time of her life with the egg hunt. Better luck next year right?

HOPPY EASTER!

This year was a practice year we were able to do something a little more fun for Easter with Brystal. Here is her basket with a new toy and a kite that didn't fit in the basket, and her new table and chairs from Ikea.

She loves this little table and the chairs that are just her size. Now she has a place to color!

And the easter egg hunt. Well it didn't go as we had hoped as you can see by the video clip above, but once she figured out there were jelly beans in the eggs she was a little more interested.

But what she really wanted to do was play with the bubbles she found in her basket, which once again Sophie had just as much fun with as she did.

Mmmmm. Peeps.

MY SUGAR BABY

Not much going on here, just getting ready for Valentine's day. Brystal and I went to a Valentine's party and got lot's of treats. I don't let her have candy too often, but when I do, she loves it.

Mmmmmmmmm-

Mmmmaaaaaaaa!

SEE YA!

Brystal is so funny because now she says see ya instead of bye bye. Well she still says bye, but see ya is cuter. And I can never get her to say it around people, so this was my video proof of her saying it. Also, we had just got home from a little valentine's playgroup party so she is eating her sucker she got from that. She is growing up so fast.

MERRY CHRISTMAS SURPRISE!

This year for Christmas Nathan and I decided with the dropping gas prices we would drive to Utah and surprise my family! Boy were they surprised! We drove the long 24 hour drive straight through the night and made it there while my family was at church and there we were waiting for them when they got home! It was so nice to get to see everyone since we hadn't seen them for so long, and Brystal got to play with her cousins and Grandma and Grandpa and Aunts and Uncles. We also got to see some of Nate's family for a day here. We wish we could have stayed longer so we could have seen everyone! The weather was in our favor for the drives since it was a complete whiteout snowstorm every other day we were there.

Brystal getting a good look at snow for her first time. Don't ask about the ears, I just found them and she left them on for over an hour.

We did alot of lounging around which was great since we have both been really busy here at home with work and things with our callings and getting ready for the holidays, we really needed the break.

I'M A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY!

Happy Halloween! Today we went to the ward party and had nachos, then had a trunk or treat. Brystal wasn't in the best mood, I don't think she felt so good, she had a cold and a slight fever, and this sweaty costume didn't help. But we managed to go trick or treating afterward with Josh and Kimi and their kids.

She was so pooped when we got back. She just layed here on the floor when we got back.

She had her first candy experience. A dum dum.

BRYSTAL'S FIRST PUMPKIN!

For family home evening yesterday, we bought a pumpkin and carved it together. Brystal had a great time getting all messy!

OH MY GOODNESS!

A little questionable at first, but decided to give it a try.

What a great helper!

So proud of herself.

This is a bad picture of us, but here we are in front of the ghetto spider I carved. We had such a great time as a family carving our first pumpkin together. Brystal loved it!

4th of JULY

Yea!! It's the 4th of July!!!

Taking a drink as we wait for the parade.











A little weery about the fire engines at the parade, but seemed to really like watching the parade.

Playing with her cousin Lilie

First time seeing fireworks. She was mesmerized by them.

HAPPY EASTER!

Brystal would like to wish everyone a Happy Easter. Not much happened at our house, we just spent the day together going on walks and taking naps. And it was good to go to church and learn about the real meaning of easter. But I think next year the Easter Bunny will come.



I took my little chubby bunny to church today. Here she is just before we were heading home. She is very tired if you can't tell. But she was adorable and everyone loved her bunny ears. This was about as festive as I could get for Easter this year

THE WAY I AM

Since it was Valentines day I was reminissing the good old days...Our very first Valentines Day together, we had been engaged for about 2 weeks. Nate and a group of his friends who all happened to be dating my friends, had all been to the same mission together. They took us to this old building that used to be a school, but was now being used as a studio in Logan. Someone apparently had the hookups. The guys got all dressed up for us, as did us girls, and they made us a German dinner. I don't remember exactly what we had, just that it was some kind of fried chicken stuff, but it was very delicious, and I was quite impressed with their cooking skills. Oh and I forgot to mention that they totally decorated this place out with twinkly lights and balloons and all. Then to top it off, the music started and we all started to slow dance. It was probably the most romantic date I have ever been on, even though I had to share it with 4 other couples. (by the way those other couples are all now happily married) Anyways, I'll never forget that day.





Thank you Nathan for always staying with me and loving me no matter what. We are perfect for eachother and I can't imagine being with anyone else. I love everyday I have with you. And so I dedicate this song to you, for loving me "The Way I am".