Oh Brooklyn!! (part 2)

So I thought this gal had grown out of the funny things she used to say. But, tonight she treated me with another classic Brooklyn line.

My family and Sean's family surprised him tonight with a dinner for finally being all the way done with school. On the way over I worrying that we would be put upstairs. Sean's grandma was coming and she is in a wheelchair. So I just figured if we did a couple of the men could carry her up. Well Brooklyn comments in her sweet 6 year old attitude voice (sense the sarcasm), "Well, I bet Lance Armstrong could carry her up ALL by his self."

UH! Ok- wherever that came from.

Oh Brooklyn!!

Thanks to everyone who voted for Brooklyn's picture- sadly she didn't win. But that is ok- we are already planning on going- that would have just been an added bonus.

So tonight, the gals and I went to enjoy some ice cream at Casper's. We were having a good time and Brooklyn looks out the windown and says, "UH OH!" I ask her what is wrong- wondering who it is she saw. She then tells me (still staring out the window), "there are A LOT of cute boys coming in." And in walked 5 or 6 teenage boys. I was trying so hard not to die laughing. When it was time to go and we were out in the car, she kept opening and closing the door. I finally told her stop doing that and looked over and saw the boys getting into their truck. She told me she just wanted to hear what the truck sounded like. Heaven help me when she hits the teenage years!

Please Vote for Brooklyn- again

Thanks so much to all of you who voted last time for Brooklyn to win the trip to Disneyland. We are going to try again. If you are reading this Wednesday night- please come back tomorrow and vote. If you are reading this Thursday- please vote. It is actually going for another week so if you want to vote every day that would be awesome too! Remember hers is #47! Cross your fingers! THANKS!!
http://www.todays1065.com/pages/disneyland/

Relay for Life!

Last weekend we were celebrating those have won the fight against cancer, remembering those we have lost to cancer, and fighting back!! This was our family's 8th Relay for Life. And through AMAZING AMAZING friends and family and AWESOME businesses we were able to raise $7070!! THANK YOU so much!! The Herald Journal actually came and did an article of our team. There was a way cute picture of Gracie and my dad in it. You can click on this link to read the article https://secure.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8972648e586070b96e97.

(Thanks Nat and Kami- I took pictures off of your blogs.)

Here is the crew- I can't help but think that my Grandma Vone and Grandpa Butch would be so proud of what we are doing. My grandma passed away from colon cancer and my grandpa from pancreatic cancer. We did our first relay a few short months after my grandma passed away and it was a form of healing for us.

The Relay begins

Our survivors (in purple) my cousin Janalee and our good friend Karen

Our 3rd survivor- my Uncle Bruce

My kids had the time of their lives- I couldn't keep track of Brooklyn through pretty much the whole thing. Thanks to my cute cousins for going with her wherever she wanted to. Nat had her wagon up there and the kids hitched rides any chance they could.

Uncle Brett giving them a ride

This year we tried something new and did a bucket auction at our campsite. I am still not over the generosity of the many businesses that provided items to be included in this. We were able to raise over $1000 just through this.

The campsite next to us had a "petting zoo" of stuffed animals that you could buy. And before I knew it the gals had talked Pops into giving them some money and had bought 4 stuffed animals. So in this picture, Brooklyn had put Paula in charge of them.

The gals and my cute cousin Elisha- Brooklyn pretty much attached herself to Elisha's hip.

There was a DJ there and a stage and the gals danced on it for probably close to an hour. I couldn't believe that Gracie was loving it as much as she was. We couldn't get them down. They were sad when we left for the night. And first thing when Gracie got back- she wanted to go to the stage and dance.

Brooklyn taking a breather

My uncle Bruce even got in on the action (as did Pops but I had the camcorder going and didn't get a picture)

4th of July and Bear Lake

I am so far behind on this blog- so get yourself a yummy snack, a good drink, get comfortable, and enjoy this long post! I LOVE summer- I love BBQ's, fireworks, playing in water, running from one activity to the next, being with family, I love it all. I especially love the 4th of July- it is my favorite holiday! We always go to Bear Lake over the 4th of July. This year, before we headed up, we attended the 4th of July festivities in Stone, Idaho. There was a HUGE parade- consisting of maybe 10 "floats." Sean's grandpa has restored an old truck and he drove it with the kiddos in it. Brooklyn was ecstatic all week just thinking of her parade debut. I didn't think Gracie would ride in it, but one look at the candy bag and she was sold. They had a BLAST!! We hung out at Sean's grandparents house all day with family and then went to the BIG firework show. Like the parade, it was small, but for a small town it was nice.

The gals in their 4th apparel

Our little family

Sean's cute grandparents and the gals. The gals adore these two- so do I.

Sean's grandpa posing with his classic truck

The gals in their parade debut

Brooklyn enjoying the fireworks

The gals and Sean having fun with the sparklers. Quite surprisingly, Gracie was enjoying them. I think that 2.2 seconds after this picture was taken, she touched the flame and burned her finger- ending her fun with sparklers. Sean's grandma spoiled us with a fun firework display at their house.

On sunday, we headed up to Bear Lake. My dad and uncle Ric put on their usual 4th feast. We had a blast up there. I have had a part-time job this summer so I was driving back and forth- I would hate to think I would have to do that every day. But, luckily the gals have grandma and Nat that watched them while I was gone. We enjoyed the beach, swimming at the pool, playing in the sprinklers, visiting, and looking for deer. The kids loved the night that we saw one right off the side of the road and they were able to sit and watch it. I LOVE Bear Lake. I have so many fun memories of up there and can't wait for my gals to start creating their own memories of up there. I am glad my grandparents had the vision of it being a gathering place- and for my parents keeping it so I can create those precious memories with my own little family.

Enjoying the beach

Hey good-lookin'

This gal cracks me up- good thing she has her goggles and snorkle to play in the sprinkler

Again she cracks me up- at one point she also had on a life jacket to complete the ensemble. She loved swimming.

Gracie being ever so cautious- I was shocked that she enjoyed swimming as much as she did. She couldn't get enough. She even got brave and rode down the slide with my cute cousins.

Willard Bay

A few weeks ago, me and the gals met the Andie's and my parents at Willard Bay for a day of fun! My uncle Ric was camping down there and invited us down. My cousin Kami's father-in-law brought their boat up. I had never been to Willard Bay- it is way nice and has a fun beach area. Brooklyn and I had a BLAST out on the tube! Gracie stayed at the beach with grandma and Pops and Paula and Kami. Gracie does not like to get dirty and I guess she was quite funny. She would not walk on the sand without her shoes on and if any sand got on her foot she would freeze and whine until someone picked her up. So they laid a towel down for her and she would play and then sand would get on the towel and they would pick it up and clear it off. She is so funny not wanting to get dirty. Brooklyn was in Heaven out on the boat- she has never done anything like like so it was way fun hearing her laugh and giggle the whole time!

(Tomorrow is the Relay for Life- if you want something fun to do come up to the USU track come visit us at campsite #2 and enter our Bucket Auction for some awesome prizes!)

Catching Up...

I can't believe it is already the middle of June!! I have kinda been doing some blog slacking so I need to get caught up. When I was growing, Memorial Day was a big day for our family. We would meet at my Grandma Ila's house and go to the Wellsville Cemetary on sunday. We would put flowers on my grandpa's grave, her parents grave, her brother's grave, and whoever else she felt like. My grandma was very peticular about this process. The flowers couldn't just be set to the side of the grave- they needed to be spread out in front in just the right way. After Wellsville, we would then go to the Hyrum Cemetary and put flowers on my grandpa's parents grave. Well this tradition has been handed down to my mom and my aunt Paula. (My dad and uncle Ric are good sports and stake down the flowers just where they are told.) This year we had a family BBQ with my dad's side of the family on sunday and then we all went to the cemetary. We missed putting the flowers on my grandma Ila's grave, but still went by. Then on Memorial day we went to Sean's grandparents house. We had a great time- and as usual his grandparents spoiled us with a yummy lunch and entertaining the kids. Sean spent most of his time driving the kids around on the Ranger- they cannot get enough of that thing. And then grandpa fired up and old antique tractor- that I know was his dads and might have even been his grandpa's. But the thing still runs- Brooklyn had a blast riding with great-grandpa.

For Christmas, we told my parents we would provide the labor for them to get a spinkling system if they would get the parts. So last saturday we met at their house and the boys and Chelsea (way to represent the women) got to work. Nat and I utilized ourselves by preparing lunch and entertaining the kiddos. It turned into a much bigger project than I think we planned on and my dad managed to hurt his back again. But, it is up and running.

The most exciting thing to happen to our family in the past month, happened on thursday night. Brooklyn has had a wiggly tooth and has been SOOOO excited for it to come out. So thursday we were in the bathroom brushing her teeth and she was messing with it and I asked her if we should pull it out. She was a little unsure but decided that she wanted to try. I couldn't get my fingers in good enough to get it. So I told her to grab it and pull. She did and it came out. She didn't cry or even say "ow" like I thought she would. She was beyond excited and had to call everyone to let them know.

Brooklyn and Rylee at the Newton Cemetary

Wellsville Cemetary

Brooklyn and great-grandpa on the tractor

We were following behind and Sean took this picture that we love

Gracie could've stayed on the Ranger all day

My brother Brett, my dad, and my brother Brian

(We had a lot of helpers- I think when we were taking pictures, Derk was on the 10th run for parts, the rest of the dream team included Sean, Ruben, Willy, and Ric.)

I love this gal. She can't stand to be dirty- so she opted for the "Derkville" boots as we call them and had the time of her life.

Brett and Chels- trying to get Brett to act descent for a picture is next to impossible!

Brooklyn's first lost tooth

Sean and his gals