Browne Lake

 It is catch up time. 

We've had a wonderful summer that lasted well into the fall. 

This year we made our yearly family camping trip to Brown Lake. It seems because we have babies we only make it every other year. 

This just so happened to be the best weather I have ever seen here. AND it wasn't busy. As of recent years the Lake has become more and more popular. However, this year we owned the Lake except for just a few people. It was amazing. 

 My girls favorite thing... was the dirt. They loved to play in the dirt. 

Major  clothes soaking took place after this trip and the water was  black.

 Broccoli loved all the little people she got to play with from sun up until sun down.  A social butterfly's dream.

 Dogs and dirt bikes.

This dog and the sun.

 The view from camp.

 First fish (her cousin did most of the work)

We started out every morning fishing with Uncle Mike.

B was her shadow. 

One of the cutest little girls you will ever meet, and she is everyone's friend instantly.

Lots of naps.

We brought a ton of glow sticks and they were a hit on our last night. We did a big bon fire, stuffed ourselves full of s'mores, listened to stories, acted silly and enjoyed the moment. 

Summer Twenty-Fourteen

We've been busy making memories this summer, so blogging was neglected. We kicked off summer with a trip to soak in the green and witness the magic that is called Lightning bugs, we headed back east a.k.a home.

We caught up with cousins, stuffed our faces full of food, partied hard, and got spoiled rotten by grandparents.

Par-tay!

My family has had a boom of baby girls, and living 2,000 miles away the days I am homesick I think to myself how we miss out on birthday parties and my girls miss playing with their east coast cousins, so I had an idea, let's have a combined birthday party back east with my family that they never get to celebrate with.

It was a carnival themed party, and the bounce house we rented was a hit!

I will let the pictures tell the story. 

(I unfortunately, am a horrible photographer and have a hard time taking pictures that aren't blurry so these are the best ones I got) - I think a photography class is in order.

         

  

  

 

 

My Baby is ONE.

I am slow and very behind, so I will be playing catch up (but not in any particular order).

First things first:

Our sweet Califlower turned one.  I have to say this first year around was smoother than my first year with my first born. I was much more relaxed. I went into this one having some experience (not an expert by any means but no longer a newbie). I think because I was so much more relaxed she was a much more relaxed baby. Her sleeping didn't come as natural but we trained her fairly quickly, and in no time I think she became a better sleeper (and B was a great sleeper!) She plays with her toys and B really well. She wasn't a fussy baby by any means and I attribute most of this to being a much more relaxed mom (poor B, I think this how it will go with everything, I'm afraid. My first time around I am high strung and high stress than the next time I relax up like: potty training, teenager years etc.) This makes me want to give B a hug and ask her to forgive me for my future shortcomings...

Here is our girl at ONE:

She is walking (she walked at 11 months).
Words she says clearly: Mama, Dada, Bupin (Brooklyn), baba
Words I am pretty sure she is trying to say: That, dog, Dixie, baby,
 She points and says "dat", as in "What's that?"
She dances and twirls in a circle.
She plays peek-a-boo.
If you ask she to do a "boo boo lip" she sticks out her bottom lip.
She loves food, but no longer likes it from a spoon unless it is really delicious, if it's my food for example.
When she wants something (usually food) she does the grabby motion with her hand.
She tries to do everything Broccoli does.
She loves Dixie.
She has 4 teeth.
She is adventurous, and gives me little heart attacks.
She puts everything in her mouth.
She is just starting to catch on to a sippy cup - it's taken a while.
She loves the water.
She loves her sister, her dogs, her daddy, her mommy.
She is a mommy's girl.

Happy Birthday to my sweet, happy, and tender hearted one-year old baby girl.

We love you to the moon and back and beyond.

(Stay tuned for the for the birthday party we had for the girls while we were back east.)

Soccer

 Our community has a tot soccer league and Broccoli was just barely old enough to play

 (by a day actually)

I thought it would be fun and get her playing with other kids her age.

 She seemed to have fun and by the end of the season she seemed to get the idea that when she wasn't chasing butterflies or her shadow she is suppose to chase the ball.

 

(P.S. This above picture was taken before the game, she would never actually kick the ball when it was game time.)

 Of course, when Grandma and Grandpa came down to watch her final game all she wanted to do was stay on the sidelines playing with sticks. 

She can be such a stinker (a cute stinker, but a stinker nevertheless).

 And this one.

Who patiently sat on the sidelines every Tuesday evening. 

To Mothers... To Women

It's Mother's Day tomorrow, and there are two things I am eternally grateful for especially after a day like today. 

First, tomorrow I will get to call my own mother and hear her voice and wish her a "Happy Mother's Day" rather than at a grave site.

Today, I went and heard my friend, at the ripe old age of 21, speak at her mother's funeral. She spoke with such poise and strength. I witnessed her younger sisters at the young ages of 12 and 15 say their good-byes. There is only one word that describes such a scene...heart-wrenching.

The second, tomorrow I will hear the little girl that made me a mother wish me a, "Hoppy Ma-her Day Mommy!" A saying she has been practicing all day.

Today, I am well aware of my blessings of having both my mother and my babies. Some days they are taken for granted, not today. 

As Mother's Day is approaching I read an article called, "Top 5 animated Mothers of all Time". Ellie, from Up was on the list. Here is the excerpt.

" If you've seen "UP" then you know Ellie never actually became a mother in what is probably the most touching opening 10 minutes of an animated film. But even though we only had a glimpse of Ellie, she represents those amazing women who take on the role of aunt, friend, role model and teacher without ever having children of their own. She would have been an amazing mom, and I'd like to think there's a director's cut somewhere with scenes of Ellie running a Girl Scout troop or taking her niece on an adventure. The Ellies of the world deserve our appreciation on Mother's Day as well."

To say I loved this was an understatement. Some of my dearest friends do not have children, and I cannot imagine my motherhood journey without these amazing women. They love me; they love my children. They love to know how they are doing. They love to know how I am doing. They seem genuinely interested in my life, just as I am in theirs. I have yet to experience a "break down" but I know if I did one phone call to one of these dear ladies they would be at my side in seconds, offering to babysit children while I go get a massage or just go out to eat... by myself, AND most importantly they wouldn't judge me. I love asking them for advice even though they will start off with "Well, I wouldn't know but maybe try..." They aren't clouded with the thinking that only a certain method will work. They are able to step back and see it at a different angle. I love these friends. My children love these friends. I unfortunately, do not see them as much as I like, life happens and next thing I know it's been months since I have seen them, but it doesn't change anything. I see them again and we don't miss a beat. As the article says, "The Ellies of the world deserve our appreciation" They do, they most certainly do.

So to the women whatever your roles may be. To the friends, to the aunts, to the teachers, to the leaders, to the daycare workers, to whoever I have missed, you deserve the love too.

lie from "UP" — If you've seen "UP" then you know Ellie never actually became a mother in what is probably the most touching opening 10 minutes of an animated film. But even though we only had a glimpse of Ellie, she represents those amazing women who take on the role of aunt, friend, role model and teacher without ever having children of their own. She would have been an amazing mom, and I'd like to think there's a director's cut somewhere with scenes of Ellie running a Girl Scout troop or taking her niece on an adventure. The Ellies of the world deserve our appreciation on Mother's Day as well.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1205&sid=29781944#r4TvAWIkT8Ag2yIl.99

lie from "UP" — If you've seen "UP" then you know Ellie never actually became a mother in what is probably the most touching opening 10 minutes of an animated film. But even though we only had a glimpse of Ellie, she represents those amazing women who take on the role of aunt, friend, role model and teacher without ever having children of their own. She would have been an amazing mom, and I'd like to think there's a director's cut somewhere with scenes of Ellie running a Girl Scout troop or taking her niece on an adventure. The Ellies of the world deserve our appreciation on Mother's Day as well.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1205&sid=29781944#r4TvAWIkT8Ag2yIl.99

lie from "UP" — If you've seen "UP" then you know Ellie never actually became a mother in what is probably the most touching opening 10 minutes of an animated film. But even though we only had a glimpse of Ellie, she represents those amazing women who take on the role of aunt, friend, role model and teacher without ever having children of their own. She would have been an amazing mom, and I'd like to think there's a director's cut somewhere with scenes of Ellie running a Girl Scout troop or taking her niece on an adventure. The Ellies of the world deserve our appreciation on Mother's Day as well.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1205&sid=29781944#r4TvAWIkT8Ag2yIl.99

lie from "UP" — If you've seen "UP" then you know Ellie never actually became a mother in what is probably the most touching opening 10 minutes of an animated film. But even though we only had a glimpse of Ellie, she represents those amazing women who take on the role of aunt, friend, role model and teacher without ever having children of their own. She would have been an amazing mom, and I'd like to think there's a director's cut somewhere with scenes of Ellie running a Girl Scout troop or taking her niece on an adventure. The Ellies of the world deserve our appreciation on Mother's Day as well.
Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1205&sid=29781944#r4TvAWIkT8Ag2yIl.99