Crash!

Apparently, Ian became an expert crawler sooner than I expected. The bruises below are from his first tumble down a full flight of stairs and onto the tile. I was changing Brooklynn's diaper and feel horrible that he fell when he came looking for me. Luckily, it didn't require more than a call to the doctor and a close eye on him for the next 24 hours. We're glad that his first tooth (which had appeared a few days previously) wasn't damaged.
I'm so sorry, Ian!

Our Latest and Greatest

Brooklynn and Ian had their first official haircuts a few weeks ago. Brooklynn loved it because she got to watch a Dora video. It was a little touch and go for Ian at first. I include this picture because Aunt Betsy thinks crying baby pictures are cute.
Afterwards . . . happiness is being able to ride in the car at the grocery store.

Brooklynn got a bike!

Ian went for his first ride in the bike trailer!

Brooklynn finally went poo-poo on the potty! To celebrate she got her much anticipated stickers and then stacked them on top of each other.

John's parents came out for a long weekend and all the Texas siblings met in San Antonio. We had a great time at Sea World--even in the cold! Below: Boni with Skyler, John and Ian, and Phil and Ally. (Thanks, Jana--I forgot to take pictures so I stole these from you!)

Me and Matty.

At a rest stop on the way home. As adventurous as Brooklynn is--she was not excited about this climb.

A new dresser for Ian means a new house for Brooklynn! She reminded me of many construction clients I'd dealt with in the past--when we were finished and the door wouldn't close just right, she said she wanted a new house!

Ian is now nine months old! This is an exciting milestone for me--it means I've now had him longer than anyone else. We lubba you, Inee!

Ian has just started crawling and pulling himself up on things. To stay limber he has also taken up yoga.

Today we decided at the last minute to have a picnic at the Williams Tower--one of my favorite places in Houston--with the Bonds and Careys .

Adoption

Mom and Brooklynn

I've just been reading the articles on adoption in the February Ensign and of course, it has made me think once again of how adoption, apart from the Atonement, has been the greatest gift in my life. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of the way our family has come together and of the sacrifices that have helped us to be so happy. Part of me likes to think that I love my kids more than anyone else could possibly love theirs because I waited and prayed and pleaded and cried for them for so long. I know from talking to and reading blogs by people who have received their children the "normal way" that this isn't really true--they all REALLY love their kids and that's a good thing. I've realized it isn't a contest. My love and appreciation for the gifts that they are stand alone and are special to me. It is the first thing that I thank God for every time I pray.

Oftentimes, when Brooklynn sees words printed somewhere--from the "Dakota" on the side of our truck to the "Eddie Bauer" on her high chair, she'll trace her finger along the letters and "read" what it says. It makes me extremely happy that she reads them aloud all the same way: "It says Mommy loves Brooklynn!"

I know people are often interested in our relationship with Brooklynn's and Ian's birth parents. I thought I would share a few excerpts from some of the notes their birth mom has sent us over the last couple years. (I've edited just a tad so they are easier to read. They are in order from oldest to newest and each paragraph is from a separate communication.)

Dad and Ian

"You guys are wonderful and remind me that i made a very good decision to give her to you and to give you to her. i know she'll thank me for giving her a good mom and dad. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY. I AM PROUD TO SAY I GAVE YOU YOUR FIRST AND ALL THE REST TO COME."

"I love you guys for being the wonderful people you are and for being so good to Brooklynn. I love Brooklynn so so much and think of her everyday."

". . . also wanted to tell you that as hard as parts of this is you guys gave me another experience that I can't even explain. Just completely amazing. With Gods help and yours. To see the way your faces changed, even when not smiling made me feel so--Wow! That's the only way I can explain. There are no words for it. Other than having my own, it's just the most amazing thing. I thank God for letting me have them so that I could do this for someone. And after asking why would God give me more than I can handle? Now i know why. And you 2 being so wonderful also made it to be this wonderful for me. I don't think anyone else could make this one of the best feelings I've ever had, and now I have to thank God and you guys for giving me that. Everything happens for a reason, and you were my reason. I no longer question why. So glad we were brought together to give each other these life changing experiences. It's a wonderful way to end the miracle God has blessed me with, the gift of children. I love u guys. It's still hard, but you have also made it at the same time so incredible."

"LOVE U ALL, But that baby most of all. God bless."

Our Week

Monday

Max and Maya came to play. Brooklynn was a great help--she brought the babies toys, played peek-a-boo and helped me make them laugh. In the picture below, Maya had just fallen over into Ian's lap. Neither of them seemed to mind being up close and personal (I think there was even a small head sucking incident).

Afterwards, we rushed off to the pediatrician. Ian was still wheezing and I figured I'd just go in for a quick check up. I was so convinced the doctor would say there wasn't much they could do that I didn't take anything with me--no diapers, no bottles, no snacks. What was I thinking? Three hours and a visit to the hospital for x-rays later we were on our way home. Fortunately, there were no meltdowns, the receptionist in radiology was terrific (bringing us snacks and pictures to color), and Brooklynn was a great big sister. No pneumonia or RSV. They're calling it his first episode of Reactive Airway Distress (a possible precurser to asthma). For now, he is on a nebulizer every 4 hours (yep, even at night). Brooklynn calls it his elephant. It has taken its toll on our happy little boy and he has been more grumpy than normal. He is smiling in the picture below though, even if you can't see it.
Tuesday

The day of the great kid swap. I love Tuesdays--both the days when I have the kids and the days when I have three hours to myself. Addie joined the usual group this day.

Addie, William, Brooklynn, and Anna.

Afterwards, Marci, Shannon, and I (along with the kids) hit Denny's for the free grand slam. Mmmm . . . there is nothing like free food! While the other kids sat nicely next to their moms, Brooklynn brushed up on one of her latest skills in the aisle--spinning until she is dizzy. She's so talented!

Wednesday
After my very first Relief Society pres. meeting, we ran off for Brooklynn's first trip to the dentist! The picture below was taken before the crying started. It was a very nice office and Brooklynn LOVED the train above the receptionists' desk (she said "Whoa! That's amazin!")

Ian turned 8 months old on Wednesday! I can hardly believe it has been that long! We are so in love with our little Ian! His smile has saved my day on more than one occasion. He celebrated in part with Max and Maya while we were at the dentist. Thursday
We met Jennifer and Brayden for a shopping extravaganza at Carters and then lunch at the food court. Brooklynn's highlight was hiding in the clothes racks and the carousal ride. She still wears size 18 months (and even those can be a little big) but she is a darn cute little wipper snapper!

Shannon was nice enough to watch the kids for me while I ran off to my doctor appointment and then it was home for naps before meeting up with Jennifer and her kids again at Panera to "celebrate" the fact that we always seem to be alone at night (and that we both love to eat out). As luck would have it, it turned out to be the one night that John and Brad left work at a somewhat reasonable hour so they met us there.

Friday

After Little Gym, we went to Marci's for a fab little birthday party. Thanks again for letting us come and share your cupcakes!

Brooklynn and Addie (Brooklynn was totally fascinated by this windmill)

That night the kids were off to the Careys again so John and I could join the Bonds at the Alamo to see He's Just not that into You. The food and company were great--the movie wasn't my favorite. Oh, well--two out of three ain't bad and it was a night out so I'm not complaining!

Saturday

It has been a horrible week for allergies around here and as you can imagine, it is probably ten times worse in our house. John gave up trying to sleep around 4 am and headed into work where they have better filtration (and no dogs and cats). Plus he needed to work anyway. He did brave the great outdoors to go with us to Clay's where we met up with the Gouges and the Mireleses. Brooklynn loved being able to visit the horses and chickens and play in the sandbox while we ate outside enjoying our beautiful 75 degree weather. My only concern was that I hadn't brought sunscreen--yep it was just that sunny and nice (eat your heart out Utahns!)

The lip pursing thing is Brooklynn's smile on demand smile.

And for those of you wondering about our latest sleeping arrangements, Brooklynn has taken to sleeping in her papasan chair which is fine by me and I think gives her a sense of control. She usually stuffs it full of blankets, books, and stuffed animals (which is less than she managed to fit in her bed, thank heavens!).

Brooklynn amidst about 7 books, 1 dvd, 6 blankets, two hairclips, a hairbow, 6 stuffed animals, a sippy cup and . . . a ball? No wonder she is hanging off the bed!

After 3 consecutive nights of leaks (and therefore, three sheet changes) we have decided that Huggies really are best on boys (at night anyway). Poor Ian had to make due with pink flowered sheets and a pink blanket until his mom got around to washing his other ones. I hope he's not scarred for life.

Finally, Harley has taken up residence in the bouncer.

Phew! I'm exhausted! I think I'll head to bed before we have to start this all over again tomorrow.

Argh!

(I post the following lest anyone think my previous

post gave me some false sense of confidence.)

Today I feel like I live with a pirate. Every time I've tried to get Brooklynn to eat something, she has respond sternly, "That be yucky!" I should have clued in that today just wasn't going to be a food day after she said that even Chick-fil-a "be yucky!" Yet I persisted. Tonight, I even went against my firm resolve to never serve cereal for dinner and gave her a bowl full after she requested it. Two seconds later, she had dumped it all over her tray and then proceeded to feed it piece by piece to the dogs. Well, I certainly didn't want to clean it up, so like the good mom I am, I chose that as the time to turn around and load the dishwasher.
In other news, Ian tried green beans for the first time tonight. I grabbed the camera to capture his "this is the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted" face but in typical Ian fashion, this is what I got instead:

Isn't he scrumptious?!

A Little Help from Dr. Seuss

Yesterday I was eating my leftovers from Bistro 829 (so nummy!) and trying to get Brooklynn to eat along with me.

"Come on," I said "it's fish!"

"Want tuna fish!" she says

"This is kind of like tuna fish. Its snapper!"

"I want snack." (apparently snapper sounds a lot like snack)

With each exchange I tried to get my fork in her mouth but she kept clamping it shut and shaking her head. Finally, I said:

"Brooklynn, remember in Green Eggs and Ham that guy didn't want to try any but then he did and he really liked it?"

She looks at me for a second and then opens her mouth wide! Before long, she says "Mmmm! More, please!"

Thanks, Dr. Seuss!

Christmas

Brooklynn and Ian in their cute Christmas outfits! (Brooklynn wouldn't cooperate for a family shot).

We had a little picnic around the tree on Christmas Eve and read stories and sang songs. I was surprised that Brooklynn paid attention and stayed with us throughout. Afterwards, Brooklynn and I headed outside with the telescope to look for Santa and then set out cookies for him and an apple for the reindeer.

When Brooklynn awoke Christmas morning, she seemed to have forgotten all the excitement from the previous night. We read the Christmas story in Luke and then Brooklynn insisted on eating breakfast. We were finally able to convince her to go in the living room to see the presents. She took to her new kitchen right away. As usual, John was much more patient than I was and was willing to let her play with each present she opened before moving onto the next. I tend to get a little bored. Ian was his usual happy self and had a ready smile for every picture (when he wasn't chewing on his presents, that is).

The Baeza's and Cherry's joined us for dinner and a little cousin gift exchange that night (which of course, I don't have pictures of). Its always fun to watch the kids run around and the babies (Skyler, Ally, and Ian) are all getting so big!

New Years Eve was completely uneventful which I was quite happy about since I barely had enough energy to get off the couch that day. John and I watched a movie and actually drank our Martinelli's in bed at midnight (so luxurious!).

Nighttime Escapades

As an addendum to the post below, I thought I'd give you a play by play of our night last night.

I went to check on Ian around 1:00 am. John put him to bed and I forgot that he orients him the opposite way I do in his crib and scoots him further down so when I went to put my hand on his tummy in the dark to make sure he was breathing, I actually put my hand on his face and woke him up. I figured he would just babble in bed for awhile and finally fall asleep so I went back to bed. Awhile later he started "singing" loudly so I went and changed his diaper and hoped that would do the trick. When I got back in bed Gunner (dog) and Asia (cat) were on my side of the bed so I climbed in the middle (not the best place for me because I like my feet to have an escape route in case they get too hot). Before long, I heard Brooklynn's door slam shut and knew she was on her way down (1:48 am). She climbed in bed and told me she wanted her Special Milk. My new tactic is to not give her any (I figure maybe that will curtail her early morning visits). I told her she could have water instead and got her a sippy but she started to throw a fit. Before long, Ian started singing again so I left Brooklynn to John and went to feed Ian a few ounces. After I put him back in bed, I climbed in the guest bed (next to his room) to wait for him to fall asleep so I could make sure his blanket was still on him (I'm paranoid he'll be too cold at night). Gunner was waiting for me on that bed so I snuggled up to him but apparently eating an entire container of sour cream which he had stolen after dinner didn't agree with his digestion and I was enveloped in a none-too-pleasant smell. About 10 minutes later I heard John bringing Brooklynn back to her room and Gunner left me to follow John back downstairs (maybe he thought the smell was coming from me but I'm here to tell you that it wasn't). After another 15 minutes, Brooklynn's door slammed shut again and she headed back to our room. I decided to stay in the guest room and had the entire bed to myself for about four hours! It was pure bliss!

I'm happy that Brooklynn is playing at the Bonds this morning and now that Ian is taking a nap I can't decide what to do with my free time--whether to sleep, clean, or watch John and Kate + 8.

Sleeping Arrangements

Just because it's sleep it doesn't have to be dull . . .

One reason we finally decided to change Brooklynn's bed from a crib to a day bed (and no, we don't let her sleep naked, she took off her diaper and threw it in the diaper pail, climbed out of her crib and then started clapping because she was so proud of herself!)

She started climbing out all the time and getting in all kinds of mischief. Here she is COMPLETELY covered in Vicks Vapor Rub (she had also smeared it over every conceivable surface in her room. The whole house reeked for days.)

Her last night in her crib.

She didn't take to the daybed arrangement immediately either. (Yes, that is lotion she smeared all over the floor and I know, we're all asking ourselves why I leave these things within reach.)

Remy seemed to like the new arrangement more than Brooklynn. This is what we found one day when we went up for a nap

As I was getting the camera to take this picture, Brooklynn wandered off. This is what I found when I went to get her:

A few days into the daybed arrangement, we had another complication. Brooklynn had her first nightmare. She said there was a lion in her room "raring" at her. She was very upset and wouldn't even go in her room for a few days without me holding her. She either slept with us or I slept on her floor until we convinced her that Daddy took the lion to the zoo and that Remy and Gunner don't let lions in the house. So much for reading Maurice Sendak

Apparently, stickers are another sleep time fascination.

I'm starting to wonder if we should just pack up the bed all together and call it a day. I found her like this one night when I went to check on her.

Brooklynn has recently learned to open doors so nearly every night around 2:00 am she climbs into bed with us. I don't particularly mind except when she starts demanding Special Milk (Carnation Instant Breakfast) or that I tickle her non-stop.

Even before Brooklynn was trying to sleep with us every night I had my own problems. John and I both enjoy snuggling with the animals and have a hard time kicking them off the bed. At one time, Gunner used to sleep at the foot of the bed. But now he likes to sleep in between us and I end up hugging his backside (good thing I'm skinny and that he hasn't been farting lately).

This particular night, I had just taken the above picture and went to put the camera away. When I returned, this is what I found:

Nights like this I end up sleeping diagonally or go out on the couch. But even when I retire to the couch, someone usually finds me. Apparently, I'm pretty snugly myself (John took this picture of me and Remy in the wee hours of the morning).


Not to be outdone, here is our sweet little Ian (who thankfully has been sleeping through the night since he was about two months old and wakes up singing and happy every morning). This picture is from a few months ago. He fell asleep while holding his toys on his playmat.

We finally moved Ian from the portacrib in our closet to a crib in his own room (upstairs and across the house). He had a hard time falling asleep for the first couple days--I don't think he was used to all the space. But now he sleeps just fine. I still have a hard time with him being so far away and check on him several times during the night.

His first night in his new digs.

So if you ever can't sleep in the middle of the night (or are in need of some stickers), give us a call. You're sure to find someone awake.

Brooklynn's Centerpiece

Reading about Ella's beautiful centerpiece reminded me of one of Brooklynn's many encounters with flowers over the summer.

Steps 1 - 5 of creating the perfect centerpiece are pretty much the same.
Here is Brooklynn's version of Step 6:

You know you're getting old when . . .

I saw this cute little Santa in a catalog yesterday and my first thought was . . . "That's gotta hurt his back."

Pictures

Thanks to Marci for taking some great photos of our family! I needed some pictures for the photo book I was making for Ian. Despite our battle with fire ants (and John getting peed on), we had a fun time! Here are some of my favorites:

Off Key

Tonight John opted to clean up the kitchen while I got Brooklynn ready and in bed. So after family prayer I sang Brooklynn a song (she chose the "Papa" song [Hush Little Baby]) and then I told her I would sing one more and asked which song she wanted. She just looked up at me and said, "Mommy, go way!" I was a little surprised but got up, went out, shut the door and waited for her to get upset that I left. She never did.
Further verification why I should never sing in the ward choir.

My List

I got this from my buddy Lyn (who got it from somewhere else) and thought it was a fun idea.

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a Meteor Shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a Mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a Lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

My points of clarification (items I didn't count): I've run in a marathon but not the whole marathon, I've been laid-off from a job but not fired, I've helped kill and prepare animals for eating but not the same animal.

I did count #80 (published a book)--I've published several magazines and I figure that's close enough.

Halloween Fun

I think Halloween is a strange holiday. When else do you have an unspoken agreement with random strangers for them to give you something for nothing?
Brooker was a cute little cowgirl for Halloween this year and Ian was a cute baby (no costume required).

At the library. The picture below is to show her cute braids.

We had the Careys and Bonds over for a pre-trick-or-treat Chinese food feast.

Cowgirl Brooklynn, Princess Anna, and Pirate William. The cutest little trick-or-treaters in the neighborhood.

Brooklynn was the official "Trick-or-Treat" spokeswoman. My favorite part of each door approach is when the kids tried to just walk in to each house. Brooklynn thought it was great that people were giving her candy but it took a few houses before she realized I really was just holding her candy for her and not stealing it. I think I was the first one ready to call it a night (the pace with 3 toddlers was SOOOO slow, even with Anna's wagon!). The kids probably could have kept going for another hour.

The event was a big success--there were only a couple scary houses, only one nightmare that night, and we still have a little bit of candy left over!

Creepy Crawly

So, just to be clear: if you are a bug, you are scary and yucky.

If you are a slug, you are interesting and we want to . . . pet you. . . ?

(which she did)

Positive Feedback

Brooklynn must realize that I am one of those people that needs positive reinforcement. Today she went into her playroom and started playing while the light was off. After I turned it on, she said "Good job, Mommy! Good job, turning light on!" Ah, I knew all my hard work hadn't been wasted. I'd take that over a raise any day!

Later, she got out her puppets and started singing Old McDonald's Farm. Her earlier renditions were better but you get the idea.

Aunt Betsy's Visit

While John and I have been married FOREVER, I didn't get to know his sister Betsy well until we all ended up living in New York at the same time. We miss Betsy now that we are in Houston but are so happy that she has decided to visit us every year for Brooklynn's birthday.
Here are some highlights (or at least the highlights I had my camera for).
Who knew Betsy turned blond and grew out her hair? (apparently John did but he forgot to tell me). I didn't recognize her at first at the airport. Betsy met Ian and we had a great "welcome to Houston" lunch at Pappasitos.
Betsy guarding our stuff (including Ian) at L'auberge du Lac. We made a quick trip to Lake Charles. It took forever for us to check in but they upgraded us to a suite and our room was FABULOUS! I didn't even mind being left behind with the kids while John and Betsy hit the casino. The next day the kids and I went swimming and then while John got us to the "paid for our trip" point, Betsy and I went to Target for some last minute birthday shopping.

At the butterfly museum for Brooklynn's birthday. Who know Betsy was afraid of butterflies? Um . . . weird.

John and Betsy's dad joined us Friday night. We had a rousing game of Settlers that night which included one of those 'laugh till you cry' moments (John H won--dang beginners' luck!).

Our last day was spent at Sea World--one of our most favorite places.

I think Betsy would have preferred to pose with the mermen.

The next day, Betsy flew off to Hawaii.

We had a fun and busy week but I think my favorite part was the few hours we just sat around reading. I was reading Betsy's Shopaholic series and she was finally reading Twilight.

We got to see her again for a couple hours on her way back to Philadelphia the next week (yeah--Pappasitos again!). We already can't wait until next year!

PS--another favorite Betsy moment was when she told me "It isn't okay to wear a jean jacket with jeans". Which I wasn't even doing or planning on doing, by the way. Because Betsy knows how style-impaired I am, she needs to drop these little fashion tips every now and again.

Two years old and feeling fab!

We celebrated Brooklynn's birthday in early October. It was a fun and busy day. We started out at the Little Gym and then went to the Butterfly Museum. That night we invited some of Brooklynn's friends over for pizza and cake (we figured she'd enjoy the night more if she had some friends to play with). Aunt Bets (John's sister) flew out from Philly for the week and once again helped me pull together a cake at the last minute. By the end of the day, Brooklynn definitely knew that it was her day and kept saying "Happy Day!" I think it helped that her Dora balloon was singing Happy Birthday to her nearly non-stop (its still going strong if you were wondering).
We are so grateful for our wonderful, beautiful little Brooklynn!

Brooklynn was in Dora heaven--in addition to her other gifts, she got a singing Dora balloon, singing Dora jacket, singing Dora card, Dora backpack, and Dora pop-up book with flashlight.

Brooklynn taste-testing her cake. I think Aunt Bets is going to ban her annual trip to visit us if I don't plan my cake making better. This last minute creation had us both completely stressed. I couldn't have done it without you Bets!

Practicing walking in her new princess shoes

Enjoying pizza with a few friends. Clockwise from left: Addie, Anna, Ella, William, Ian, Matty, Katie, and Brooklynn

Burning off those calories

Fortunately, after two attempts, Matty stepped in to help blow out the candle

Our Hurricane Adventures

I know that Hurricane Ike is now old news but I'm going to post pictures anyway. I figure if I ever want to do a book like Marci did, I'll want these things included.

We set the kids up in our closet. In fact, Ian's port-a-crib is still there (I like having him in there but I don't think it is John's favorite arrangement). I was worried Brooklynn would wake up in the middle of the night and freak out but she slept fine until morning (we started her out in her crib and then moved her once she fell asleep). My biggest impression of the hurricane was that it was LOUD! I had to keep getting up and checking our windows because I was sure they had blown in. The wind was relentless and the rain was pounding at swirling intervals. I went outside a few times in the middle of the night but didn't dare go further than the porch. John finally left our room at about 5 am to find somewhere else to sleep because it was just too noisy on that side of the house. The next day we were completely surprised to find that we had very little damage. Our cable was out but we never really lost power. A small tree in the back had blown over but it was easy to upright and re secure. Across the street and most of the rest of the neighborhood was without power for about a week and a half. There was a constant hum of generators in the neighborhood and people running long extension cords across the street. This is a picture from our neighborhood park. I tried to take the kids on a bike ride through there (after the Cherrys joined us) but couldn't get through--Matty and I worked on clearing the path while the other kids played.

We quickly ran out of things to do at home--the house and yard were clean, we had no cable, and we were anxious to see what was going on--so we decided to go see how others fared. Downed trees, traffic signals, and fences were the biggest problems around us with some people who had portions of their roof blown away. We checked in on a few friends and ward members. I mentioned to the Mercer's that I was craving chocolate (all the businesses of course were still closed) and they donated brownie mix to the cause. Thanks to that brownie mix, Brooklynn and I had our first cooking experience together:
(Don't worry, I did clean her with soap and water as well!)
The Cherry's were also without power in Spring (their area was harder hit). They tried braving it as long as they could but when night came they headed out our way and we were happy to have the company (their power was out until Wednesday). This brought our pet total to 6 and our people total to 9. I felt like I was back home again! Boni, Shelly, and Skyler joined us Sunday night before making their way to a new job in San Antonio.
At night, my job was to entertain the kids while Jana made dinner. I know I got the better end of that trade! Below you can see Katie, Brooklynn, and Matty, with little Ally in the middle.
John joined the fun, too. Here you see him making dog food for the little dog he made. (John was off of work until Tuesday when his office rented temporary space in a hotel while they waited for power in their building. Phil didn't have to check in at work until Wednesday--the same day that John flew to Canada for business.)

Matty was in charge of Family Home Evening. He did a great job reading his favorite scripture story to us!

We also tried to go to Sea World while the Cherry's were with us but found out after we had already loaded everyone and everything in the van that it was closed that day (good thing we got the Internet through our cell phone or we would have driven three hours there for nothing!).

There were a couple of random/weird things that happened (I'm convinced) as a result of the hurricane. A plant of mine died the next day, Jana's bananas turned the strangest color I have ever seen in my life (although I hear they tasted normal--I was too afraid to try them), and Brooklynn's old bouncy seat (that Ian now uses) that hadn't played music in 9 months, though we tried everything to fix it, suddenly started working. Eerie, huh.

Hunker Down

Its was sunny and beautiful here in Katy (Fort Bend County--just west of Houston) this morning when John and I went out to take down the trampoline and move everything from the backyard into the garage. It is cloudy now, and a little breezy. If it weren't for the TV, broadcasting non-stop about Ike since yesterday, you might not even know what was coming based on the weather. However, the kids and I went to the grocery store Wednesday night and were there nearly two hours. It was worse than Thanksgiving! There were 3 shopping carts available when I got there. Thank heavens they had cookie samples or we would have had a meltdown. Yesterday I went to fill up gas cans for our newly acquired generator and drove to four gas stations before I could find anyone with gas. We still have a couple of things on our to do list. We're planning a sleepover in our bedroom tonight with Brooklynn, Ian, Gunner, Remy, Asia, and Harley (we figure our bathroom and closet are the most protected place) so we need to move some of he kids stuff in there and John thinks it would be a good idea to board up our living room window (his Grandma's piano is in that room and it would be horrible if anything happened to it). I'm making a pre-hurricane dinner (yep, I'm cooking!) to use up the chicken before the power goes out tonight.

John and I both feel a little guilty for thinking it--but so long as nobody gets hurt and there isn't too much damage, this is kind of exciting!

In honor of our coming storm, I thought I'd post some rainy day pictures so you can see what the rain is like in Houston even without a hurricane!

That's right--we do have a generator now. So when it is 90 degrees and the power is out those in the area are welcome to come hang out with us (especially if you have a window unit!)

Giggle gut

Ian has laughed a couple times over the past week but yesterday was apparently a very funny day. It is so fun to see him laughing!

SeaWorld

Last Friday, my buddy Leighanna and I drove to Sea World with the kids. We both have season passes and I think I would probably go once a week if I could. What's a little 6 hour round trip drive, anyway? Leighanna's husband Reid met us there. We had a terrific time! Let's go again! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day.

It was really hot when we first got there (see the red faces during our lunch) but we cooled off in the little water area and the weather was great the rest of the day.

William, Reid, Brooklynn, me, and Ian

The Bond Family

Brooklynn clapping during the show

Brooklynn engrossed in the Shamu show

Trying to pet the dolphins

The Olympics--Dobbs' Style

The majority of us in the Dobbs' household were mere observers in the Olympics. We (particularly I) loved every minute of it and can't wait for the winter games in 2010!
Brooklynn, however, has started training in earnest to be a participant in future games. (Out of respect for the ancient Olympians, she practices her sports with as few clothes as possible.)
The trampoline
Hurdles (or high jump--at this stage they are pretty similar)
Gymnastics (this is our pull up bar)
Swimming
More gymnastics

Synchronized bell ringing (okay, I just thought it was a cute picture)

There were a couple exhibition events that will NOT be a part of our Olympics in the future--like the 10 lb baby lift and the freestyle stair tumble.

My Little Manipulator

I'm surprised how quickly kids learn how to get what they want. In Brooklynn's case, she always wants to stay up later and avoid going to bed. Her first tactic is to say, "Eat, eat, Momma!" In the beginning, this was 100% effective. I was so excited that my little girl who NEVER wants to eat ANYTHING was suddenly hungry. I admit, it took me a couple of weeks of her only eating one bite of something to realize she was just stalling. But as soon as we wised up to that maneuver, she was onto the individual attack. If John is putting her to bed, she'll say "Bookly sleep Daddy?" If I'm nearby, this is only 65% effective but if I'm out of earshot, it is 100% effective. John is a pushover and loves to lay down with her even though she only falls asleep this way about 1 time in 10. This is by far her best move and she uses it every night she can. She sensed my weakness and hit me hard during the Olympics with "Sit Mommy lap?" Ah, how could I resist a girl that wants to watch beach volleyball with me? Her most recent tactic hits my desire for family love and unity. As I'm laying her in her crib, she'll suddenly decide she needs to kiss Ian and any or all of the animals. Luckily, I am usually prepared for that attack and counter with blowing kisses (doesn't really satisfy her but makes me feel warm and fuzzy).

I'm a little afraid for the future . . .

We know how to pick 'em!

This morning when I went to get Brooklynn out of her crib, she had a big sticky mass in her hair. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a nasty, squishy, booger! When I asked somewhat rhetorically, "How did that booger get there?!" Brooklynn showed me--finger in the nose, then in the hair! Ugh!!! In truth though, I'm not sure which is worse, the actual booger or what I caught myself saying next: "Brooklynn, only Mommy is allowed to pick your nose!"

TV

With the new fall season right around the corner, I thought I'd divulge my top ten favorite TV shows so you will know when not to call me (JK--we Tivo everything so I never watch anything when it is really on--except the Olympics and the commercials are killing me!) I know Coby Long will have nothing better to do up in Alaska than get caught up on all my favorites.

1. Bones
2. Psych
3. Smallville
4. The Office
5. Eli Stone
6. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
7. 24
8. Lost
9. House

Okay, so I guess I only have 9. One and two are clearly defined and then 3 through 7 are neck and neck (and neck, etc.). I really like Lost but it stresses me out and is kind of depressing overall so that is why it is further down on the list. Nothing against House but the others are so much better!

Now, for Marci's benefit, my favorite reality shows:

1. Survivor
2. American Gladiators
3. The Apprentice
4. America's Next Top Model
5. Groomer Has It (yeah, I'm probably the only person in the universe that watches this show)
6. Jon & Kate + eight
7. Biggest Loser

Since most of my favorites are an hour long, you can see why I am so in love with my Tivo? What did we ever do without it?

"A bug! A bug!"

I admit, I have always felt a certain amount of pleasure because Brooklynn seems a lot like me. She loves animals, has a great sense of humor, is brave and adventurous yet painfully shy, and doesn't mind getting dirty. Not to mention that she is brilliant and gorgeous ;)! So I am completely mystified by her recent fear of bugs. I've tried to tell her that most bugs are nice and have even caught and squished some for her to show that there is nothing to worry about (I used to catch grasshoppers and pull their legs off for the chickens to eat when I was younger). But still, whenever she sees an insect she'll shriek "A bug, a bug! Scared! Hug, hug!" and come running for me to save her. Now granted, I'll take all the hugs I can get but I still can't quite understand the fear--especially since it suddenly appeared out of the blue a couple days ago. Oh, well--I guess she has to be like John in some ways!

Firsts and favorites

Ian's first trip to the dog park (okay so you can barely see Ian, but I promise, he's there in the stroller)Brooklynn taking her puppy for a walk My first bath with Ian. I decided I like this method. John and his mom singing Beetles' songs (the picture is fuzzy because I was so far away--I was afraid that if they knew I was taking pictures they would stop singing). John's parents were on their way back to St. George after completing a mission in San Antonio. We're sad it is over--we saw them more in the past year than we normally get to.
Momma Brooklynn carrying her baby around in a sling.

Why we invested in a pull-up bar

This didn't really bother me in the beginning but then our little gymnast started doing it while Ian was in his swing! A little too stressful for me!

The Temple

A little while ago, I had the opportunity to go to the temple with my father-in-law and brother-in-law to do baptisms for some of Greg's family. It had been a while since I had been to the temple and even longer since I was able to do baptisms. I had such a wonderful time and it brought back some special memories. Growing up, we lived only about 5 minutes from the Jordan River Temple and could see it from our upstairs window. Because it was so close, we often went to do baptisms before school. Even when I was at BYU I tried to go do baptisms at the Jordan River Temple when I was home. It is such a special and peaceful place to me--made even more so because John proposed as we gazed at that temple, I took out my endowments there, and Brooklynn was sealed to us there.
After we finished the baptisms at the Houston Temple, I was able to stay a little longer (thanks to my mother-in-law for watching the kids while John worked on an Elders Quorum project) to do initiatory and a session. I was enjoying being there so much that I was tempted to stay all day! Later, I was thinking about my wonderful day and how I could recreate that feeling in my daily life and I thought I'd share some of my thoughts:

• Start with scripture and prayer. My father-in-law read scriptures to me on our way there and I think it really helped put me in the right frame of mind.
• Surround our home with pictures of the Savior. While in the baptistry and later in the chapel I found myself gazing at the pictures on the wall, thinking about the stories they portrayed and felt my love and appreciation of the Savior grow.
• Be more kind. I think one of the reasons the temple is such a peaceful and safe place is because the temple workers are so nice! I never have to worry about feeling dumb when I go down the wrong hall (which I do every time, by the way) or temporarily forget what I'm doing.
• Make time for reflection. I loved my time in the temple when I wasn't doing anything else but thinking--whether I was in the baptistry, chapel, or celestial room. It was nice to take time to review my life and remember the things I'm so profoundly grateful for.
• Serve others. I sometimes forget that I'm doing work for other people while I'm at the temple because it does so much for me but I wonder if it does so much for me because I'm helping other people.

Thank again to my father-in-law for inviting me to go along with him to the temple!

"Bookynn & Inee"

Brooklynn is in love with baby Inee (as she calls him). Here are a few pics of the two of them together.

Signing Time

My cute sister-in-law Katrina works for Signing Time and told me months ago about their DVDs that teach babies and children American Sign Language. I bought the two Baby Signing Time DVDs last December for Brooklynn and am completely in love with them (and so is Brooklynn--she goes NUTS whenever we put it on)! Several people have mentioned to me their fear that if babies learn to sign it will delay their speaking ability but I completely disagree. I think Brooklynn speaks so well because she signs. It helps me select a few words that we use often and emphasize those words--plus, every word she signs she also tries to say. Of course, when she was just learning to talk, her words weren't very clear so the signs helped me understand her better. Brooklynn's favorite songs are the ones with hand motions so it only makes sense that she would pay more attention to words that have signs attached as well. We now watch the regular Signing Times in addition to the Baby Signing Time DVDs and I am constantly amazed at how quickly she picks up words and signs. I have the highest praise for these DVDs.

Anybody interested can call Katrina at Signing Time--801-676-4440.

Grandpa Beesley

During a walk with Grandpa near their home in Holladay

John, Brooklynn, and I had just sat down on a plane bound for SLC last Thursday to pick up our new baby when my Dad called to say that Grandpa Beesley had just passed away. What a mix of emotions I experienced! Happiness and excitement about meeting our new baby and sadness and relief for Grandpa and Grandma. I knew he was ready. In a conversation we had a few weeks before he told me he prayed every night that he would be able to go and that he just wished Grandma could go with him. She told me that they hold hands while they sleep because he thinks that might just do the trick. I asked him if he was afraid to die and he laughed his wonderful gruff and vibrant laugh and said, "Heavens no! I've been a bishop and a missionary--I've been around. I know how this works!" What a testimony that was to me as his granddaughter!

I had said to Grandpa awhile back after one of his stays in the hospital that I wish I was there to kiss his cheek. He said only half jokingly, "You could if you really wanted to!" When we found out that his cancer was terminal, I knew I needed to go out and give him that kiss and I'm so grateful I did. Not only did Brooklynn and I both get a kisses, but I was able to rub his feet and head as we visited and he told me about the pony he had growing up. I told Grandpa that we were hopeful we would get a new baby within the next couple months and asked him to hang on until they baby was born which I thought might happen in June even though we at first thought Grandpa may only have two weeks to live. He said he would do his best and then told me that he was sure the baby would be a boy. Only a few days before Grandpa passed, he was in and out of a dazed state when he suddenly said, "Who is that boy?" He asked again but no one knew who he was referring to as there were no males in the room. It wasn't until later when my mom and dad were talking that they felt impressed that it was our little boy that Grandpa saw. In the end, Grandpa did as he promised and hung on until little Ian arrived safely.

Grandpa was patient--even amongst a group of silly and noisy granddaughters at Lake Powell or Jackson Hole and had a great sense of humor--as when he impersonated a non-existent boyfriend for me in the Beesley Bee while I was in Russia. Grandpa had a way of making me feel like I was more than just another grandkid and showed me that I was special to him. I'll miss Grandpa--but am grateful for our walks and conversations over the years. I'm sad that he won't be here to watch Brooklynn and Ian grow up but I take comfort in the knowledge that he knew them already and that we'll be able to be together forever.
I love you Grandpa.

Mom, Grandpa, Brooklynn, and me at Brooklynn's baby shower. Grandpa came representing Grandma. It was the first baby shower he had ever been to.

A couple days after our sealing to Brooklynn. Grandpa always called the granddaughters "Doll" or "Doll-friend" and I found myself calling Brooklynn that from the moment she was born.

Ian Quincy

We got a call last Wednesday night that the newest member of our family was on his way. We spent the night rushing around getting things ready and the next morning were on a plane to Utah to meet our handsome baby boy. He is so beautiful, smiley, and cuddly! We are ecstatic to have him as part of our family. Thanks to my mom, sister-in-law, and sisters, I've been able to get through the first week of his life changing only a handful of diapers. Boy am I going to miss their help!

After much debate, we finally settled on the name Ian Quincy--yep, that's IQ for all you who notice initials. Ian is Scottish for John--so John got a namesake without having to name him John and Quincy is the name of the town in Illinois that unselfishly cared for the Mormons when they were driven from Missouri. He weighed in at 6 lbs, 3 oz. and was 17-1/2" long.

Brooklynn didn't really seem to care much about him at first but she is now coming around (more quickly than I anticipated) and likes giving him kisses and holding him (for about 30 seconds at a time).

We are so grateful that he made it safe and sound and are completely in love with him!

Tagged

We were tagged by our friends Alyssa and Lonnie at Rusted Sun. Sooo . . . here are six things you may not know about us. The first three are from Emily, the last three are John's.

1. When I was younger, I had a "pet" fly and worm (bloodsucker). The fly (which Jane claims was named JoJo but really didn't have a name) survived after I tried to kill him in the dishwasher so I figured I better keep him. I think I tried to feed him water and cornstarch and kept him on a plate in my bedroom. Sadly, I don't remember exactly what happened to him. The worm went horseback riding, for a ride in the swing, and I also tried to have him find his way out of a maze.
2. I don't eat red M&Ms. Actually, I also don't eat blue, white, or pink M&Ms (as well as any other wierd pastel colors). This is why I hate eating M&Ms in movie theaters--its hard to see different colors in a dark theater. For the record, I would eat light brown M&Ms if they ever brought them back.
3. When I was in 8th grade, I once pretended to be on the high school cross country team to avoid going to a school dance. Don't worry though, I got caught by my principal who also happened to be my Bishop. All part of the fun of going to school Utah.

American Gladiators

I have always loved watching "American Gladiators"--I tivo the old episodes on ESPN classic and then watch them the next day while I'm puttering about the house. It's all about tests of physical strength with just the right amount of cheese--okay, so it does get a little too cheesy at times but they have a great obstacle course at the end and who doesn't love an obstacle course? So imagine my excitement when I learned that American Gladiators is making a comeback!

Ah, if only I were in better shape I might try out!

Cruise

A few weeks ago, John and I decided at the last minute (a week in advance) to go on a cruise. It was about time--John claims it is the first vacation we've ever been on (when we were trying to decide whether to go, the big item on the "pro" side was that John could then stop complaining about us never having been on a "real" vacation). I figure the cruise just made up for our lack of celebrating our five year anniversary (or was it our tenth?). It was a five night cruise and we visited Progresso (where we saw the amazing ruins of Chichen Itza) and Cozumel, Mexico. Unfortunately, the next to the last day, I accidentally deleted all of our pictures--so we have no proof that we were actually there (hmmm . . . might have to go again). My favorite part was holding hands while snorkeling off the coast of Cozumel. John's favorite part was that someone else planned things for us that we could go to or not (usually not). I actually think his favorite was Blackjack. But who am I to complain when his winnings paid for our souvenirs.

Halloween

Brooklynn was a lion for Halloween. Can you believe my mom made this beautiful costume?
Taking on the big guys

library storytime

Brooklynn's birthday!

We had a blast celebrating Brooklynn's first birthday and were so happy that the Cherrys and Aunt Betsy were here to party with us. Even the dogs got into the festivities and stole a "leaf" from her cupcake flower but it was an easy fix and the party went on. Thanks to Matty, her candle was eventually blown out and after just a little hesitation, Brooklynn feasted on her cupcake (saving a few crumbs for the dogs).


Having Brooklynn in our family has been the most amazing blessing. We are always mindful of her wonderful birthparents who gave us this gift. We hope Brooklynn will always be aware of how many people love her.

Our fall visitors

John went to Malaysia in September so my mom came out to keep me company. Poor Mom--I talked her into bringing her sewing machine and then I kept her busy with projects. We made living room curtains, reupholstered my cedar chest and desk chair, made a cushion for the piano bench, and a bed skirt. We also found a pattern for a cute Halloween costume for Brooklynn (which Mom finished making after she left). Not much of a vacation I guess. She was great company though and my house was always spotless while she was here. Brooklynn loved blowing raspberries and singing with her Grandma and was more than happy to celebrate her birthday early by opening Grandma's presents. Just a short week after Mom left, John's sister Betsy came to visit. How we have missed Betsy since we moved from New York! Betsy is so easy going and fun to be around and it was neat to see that Brooklynn remembered her old "roommate" (fortunately, our place here is big enough so that Betsy got her one room). We had been talking about making this reunion an annual event, although I'm worried that since we made her watch all six hours of Pride & Prejudice she might not dare come back. While Betsy was here we did a lot of the things that we did while we were in New York--we played Settlers of Catan (Betsy-1, Emily-1, John-0), ate, listened to music, and watched tv! Of course, I also took advantage of having my own personal style guru around and made Betsy go shopping with me. Betsy, why again won't you move here? Just a few weeks later, John and I made a spur of the moment decision to go on vacation so Mom came out again to take care of Brooklynn and the animals while we were off cruising around. Luckily, Dad was even able to come out for a few days. John and I missed Brooklynn horribly while we were gone but we didn't worry about her at all--we knew she was being well taken care of and loved.

Dad, Brookly, and me

House help

Here at the Dobbs' household, we don't believe in giving anyone a free ride, which is why everyone is required to chip in and help out around the house. Here are some of Brooklynn's tasks:

Giving Doggy Massages

Unloading the dish-washer

and looking cute (our first attempt at pigtails).

The dogs are in charge of all floor clean-up. This includes baby spit/throw up. They are very effective at their job. By the time I run to get a rag and return, I can't even tell where the accident took place. I'm convinced that Brooklynn is aware of their talents and purposefully throws things on the floor just to watch them clean it up. I'd like to say that they've discovered that Brooklynn is the source of all messes but I've noticed they tend to follow me around a fair bit also.

Now granted, I do have to put up with some unprofessional tendencies from my help at times. The silverware does occasionally end up on the floor or in Brooklynn's mouth instead of in my hand and on light floor cleaning days the dogs will sometimes steal the Karo Syrup, food coloring, corn starch, baby bottles (etc., etc.) in order to make their own messes that they in turn clean up. These are small inconveniences that one must contend with in order to keep cheap labor.

PS I'm now in the market for someone to wash windows and iron clothes. The cats just aren't learning fast enough.

Malaysia

Hello from Malaysia!

These pictures are actually from my last trip to Malaysia about a month ago, but I'm here again, so Emily suggested I create an entry.

The picture below is of the entrance to Batu Caves, a geologic formation of interest and a Hindu shrine located just to the north of Kuala Lumpur. There are 272 steps (labeled for your convenience) leading to the entrance of the limestone cave. Along the way, there are numerous monkeys to distract you from the humid climb to the top.








The main cave holds a shrine of Lord Subramaniam, a Hindu deity. This is a site of an annual festival, attracting thousands of people participating in a pilgrammage.

(See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Caves)

On this trip, I was with my good friend Bruce Palmer, who lived in KL for three years while working at ExxonMobil. He had actually never visited this site while living here, but he certainly knew about it. He also showed me and some other colleagues from Ryder Scott around town and into the local markets. It was nice to be there with someone who was familiar with the area.






The next two pictures are from our hotel room window. We stay at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, which is right next to the Petronas Towers. The towers are actually much more impressive in person than in pictures -- not just because of their size, but because the outside of the building is clad in stainless steel, which I never realized from looking at any pictures I had seen. In most pictures, it looks to me like the towers are white. Photographs just can't capture the changing light reflected from the steel. The towers are particularly pretty at night when they are all lit up against a dark sky.

Teja

I love animals (its all Dad's fault). So what was I supposed to do when I found an abandoned 9-month old puppy at the dog park? John agreed we could foster her while trying to find her a good home. She was a sweet little Shar Pei mix--the most cuddly and affectionate dog I've ever known. She wanted nothing more than to lay on someone's lap all day (when she wasn't playing). Remy and Gunner loved her (okay, truth be told--Gunner was annoyed by her) and she was very patient with Brooklynn. Adding one more animal--and a playful puppy at that--to a household of two dogs, two cats, and a baby was a little chaotic at times. After hanging up flyers and talking to vets, she finally found a good home thanks to CAP's (Citizens for Animal Protection) weekend sponsor program (we kept her with us during the week and took her to CAP on the weekends). I miss her and hope she is happy and that her new family lets her curl up on the bed next to them.

Teja trying desperately to cuddle with Emily's Mom
Teja and Remy asleep on the couch

If you are ever interested in getting a pet, please look into adopting from a shelter like CAP, your local Humane Society, or ASPCA and give a wonderful animal a second chance.

Addiction

It could be worse!

She's never been one for a pacifier or blanket but once she sees Ellie's trunk her eyes glaze over and she starts sucking away. We have to wash Ellie more often than we'd like otherwise her trunk starts smelling moldy. For awhile, her monkey Marley's tail was a good substitute but no longer. She is a loyal elephant lover through and through.

Don't ever get between a girl and her ice cream! Daddy is no match for Brooklynn as she exhibits super human baby strength to get to her Blue Bell.

Since we've been gone . . .

Okay, so its been awhile. I'd like to think that we've been busy doing so many fun things that I haven't had time to blog. Or, it could be that I'm just lazy. You decide. Regardless, now is the time to catch you up on our family happenings over the summer.

Brooklynn traded in her Yankee's outfit for something more Astros worthy. It was a long game and we almost made it through all 17 innings (some of us stayed more alert than others). Too bad the Astros lost. Better luck next year.

We visited several of our neighborhood pools to cool off from the summer sun--this one "The Beach" was our favorite. All the fun of the sand and water without the salt!At the end of July, John's dad and Shari were married in Atlanta. It was the first time we got to meet Mandy's daughter Ella and Brooklynn loved playing with her cousin!

John's parents, Greg & Kathy, accepted a mission call in San Antonio. They stopped by our place in Katy for a visit on their way. We are grateful for the wonderful example of service and bravery they have shown in their missionary work.

We love living near the Cherrys here in Houston and Brooklynn adores her cousins. We've been able to have some fun sleepovers and outings since we've moved back.

Three cousins in a tub
(Matty, Katie, and Brooklynn)

Matty teaching Brooklynn the finer points of
Scooby Doo

Brooklynn and I took a quick trip to San Jose to help out while Jane was recuperating from eye surgery (unfortunately, I fear that my dazzling beauty only blinded her further--her recovery has been slow and painful). Jacob and Aidan were good playmates for Brooklynn (when they weren't spending hours on their HORRENDOUS homework) and Claire very graciously shared her bedroom, toys, and even some of her clothes--just so long as Brooklynn ate with her mouth CLOSED! (good thing babies fly free--at just 10-1/2 months, this was Brooklynn's fifth trip)


Brooklynn touring the Harris' estate

Jacob drying Brooklynn off after her bath

That's it for now. With any luck, you'll hear from us again in less than three months!

El Dorado

A couple of weeks ago, John had business in El Dorado, Arkansas so Brooklynn and I went along to keep him company on the 7-hour drive and to check out the town we almost moved to. My favorite part of El Dorado had to be Papa Pablano's Mexican Restuarant. I would have eaten there everyday if John would have let me (and believe me, I tried). Brooklynn and I enjoyed exploring El Dorado and swimming while Dad was at work. At night after Brooklynn was asleep John and I stayed up watching the first season of 24--yes, we brought our DVD player. Unfortunately, Brooklynn got sick while we were there. She had a temperature of 102, a runny nose and cough. She was such a sad little girl. It was the first time she had ever had a fever, and being far from home I was very nervous about it but several calls to sisters and my sister-in-law put things in perspective. It did remind me, though of the times I had been sick growing up and what a wonderful job mom did taking care of me--so much so that I still actually like getting sick!

The dog park

Don't get me wrong, we are so grateful that we lived within about a three minute walk from the well-kept but small Hell's Kitchen dog run in New York. The run became an even greater life saver once we had Brooklynn. But the dogs have never been happier now that we can visit the Millie Bush dog park several times a week. It is 13 grassy acres and contains two large ponds. We're also within about 20 minutes of another 14-acre park and the newest addition, a 35-acre park that has a bone shaped pond and built in agility course. Data shows that these parks are used much more than regular people parks so the parks department sees it as a wise investment. We definitely agree. Way to go, Houston!

Gunner, Hell's Kitchen Dog Run

Remy (swimming) & Gunner

Millie Bush Dog Park

Cherry Cousins!

The best thing about being back in Houston is that we are now (relatively) close to Phil & Jana Cherry and their kids. Brooklynn loves hanging out with her cousins. This past weekend, the Cherrys made the long drive from Spring and spent the night. Brookly was so excited to wake up the next morning to find she had people (and not just dogs) to play with!

Together Forever

June 1 was a wonderful, special day for our family. After finalizing her adoption earlier in the day, we took Brooklynn to the Jordan River Temple and were sealed as a family for time and all eternity. As always, Brooklynn looked like a perfect angel and I started to tear up the second she was brought into the room and I saw this beautiful little girl. My cousin, Chelle, who was so instrumental in Brooklynn being a part of our family, held her during the ceremony. John and I are both so happy to have her with us! And it was wonderful to be surrounded by so many family members.
After the sealing, we met again with friends and family to celebrate the sealing and give Brooklynn her name and blessing. I hope that she will always know how many people love her!
To top off a wonderful and emotional day, my sister, Amy called late that night to say she was in labor and to invite John and me to witness the birth of her twins. We are both so grateful we could be there (even if I did come within a couple breaths of fainting!) to see Elizabeth and Elijah come into the world (at 7lbs 7oz and 7lbs 2oz respectively).
Finally, on Sunday, we celebrated with my sister Sarah's family as her husband, Dave, blessed their fourth child, beautiful Samantha Brynn. Brooklynn is so happy to be surrounded by so many cousins!
We ended the day in Fairview Canyon with the Shawgo kids and Hollie, Shane, and Emery. This spot is very special to me and it was Brooklynn's first time there.
What a spectacular trip home!