Fish Away

This is Brian's dream.... Seriously, he has talked about getting one for so long and we finally did it. We got a boat. Granted it is not some extravagant wakeboarding machine, but it is a nice little 12 foot aluminum fishing boat. We knew we had to get it when the number 13 was displayed on the top of the motor. It was just the sign we needed. It is so crazy!! Our lives have revolved around the number 13 without us even thinking about it. Don't worry we aren't some crazy voodoo people who seek out certain numbers, it just so happens that anything important in our lives has involved the number somehow. It was only fitting that Brooklyn happened to be born on the 13th!!

Anyway, here is a picture of the oldie goldie herself. (Yes, I am making it a she who has yet to be named.) It is a 1975 Sears. It will make for some fun weekends at the cabin lot.

This weekend we took it out for a putt putt around the lake by the cabin lot. It started up first try!! The little miss hated her life jacket. We are going to have to take it back and trade it for something that does not choke her, and one that will still allow movement of her extremities. Maybe Disney should stick to their day job and not reach out to the water safety consumers.

Also, this weekend we had a family reunion at wheeler farm and I couldn't help but snag some pictures of Brooklyn's first time feeding the ducks/geese with her daddy.

Anna's Birthday Party

My sister-in-law Anna turned 27 on the 8th of July. For her birthday we went out to dinner with her and my brother and some of their friends. We went to their favorite restaurant, Tepanyaki. Our cook was so hilarious. Brian kept trying to tease him and joke with him (like he does at every restaurant). The food was so yummy!!

Gareth  and Anna have been married since October. Anna and I have gotten along so well from the beginning. She is the perfect fit into our family. She is the sweetest person and the one girl who can put my brother in his place!!

Brooklyn has fun with Anna too!! She watches Brooklyn from time to time while I am at work when Debi or my Mom can't. Gareth is so good with her too. He loves kids and loves to play with her. She let him walk her around the restaurant.

The big group of us. These are my brother's best friends Jordan and Travis and their girlfriends, who are best friends.

The little miss was not quite sure about Anna snapping a picture of her.

Brooklyn has become attached to this blanket. She loves to snuggle it right by her face. It is so funny, it is this little recieving blanket that came in a pack but she only wants this one. This little girl loves to snuggle these days. Like this, right on my lap. I can't get enough of it!! She never wanted anything to do with it before so I hope it will last!

Celebrating Independence Day

Afterall it is called "Independence Day" for a reason. When did everyone stop calling the holiday what it really is and instead call it by the day it is celebrated!! :)

I love that this holiday landed on a Sunday because it ment that we got to celebrate it all weekend!! We had the opportunity to go the the stadium of fire. They had Carrie Underwood performing and fireworks. This was my first time ever going to the stadium of fire. Had it not been for Carrie being there I probably wouldn't have been that excited about going, because you can see fireworks everywhere. My favorite was when she performed "Jesus Take The Wheel" she added on the hymn "How Great thou Art." What a hit for a LDS majority audience. She also sang the national anthem and I later learned that she is ranked in the top 10 for singing it. Who knew? But I can understand why! When she sang the words "rockets red glare" some loud rocket like fireworks went off and Brooklyn started to cry. The scared her to death!

After the performance they started the fireworks. Because it so loud in the stadium we took her out to the parking lot to watch. She actually really liked them when she wasn't right up next to them and it was a little more quiet.

Every year we go the the Stein Erickson Lodge BBQ and every year is just as good, if not better, than the last. My favorite was the tomato bar. They had probably close to 15 different kinds of tomatoes with 7 different kinds of salts. I am such a sucker for a good tomato!

I took these pictures when we were walking to the BBQ. The little miss loves her Daddy especially when he caters to her!! This is all she wants to do 24-7 is have someone hold her arms so she can walk around. We are hoping she walks before Trevor's wedding (August 7th) so that she doesn't have to crawl around wearing her pretty dress. We will hope for the best!!

After dinner we took some family pictures but Trevor and Amanda were not in them because they left early to take some engagement pictures and wanted to get them while there was still some daylight.

 Monday we spent some time laying out and playing by the pool.

We had so much fun playing in the pool. It was fun to have Brian's best friend Trevor come up with his fiance Sandee. I think at some point every one of the hotels' noodles was in the pool.

Brooklyn and Baylor loved the water and loved to be floated around the pool.

Brian let her lay on his tummy while he floated on some noodles.

Brooklyn shares a special bond with her Grandma. She loves every second of the time they get to spent together!!

Gandma also loves to spoil her little princess! Look at how cute this little robe is that Grandma got her. Grandma gave this to her because Baylor had his little cute robe on and she wanted Brooklyn to have one so she found this in the spa. Grandma caters to the diva that she is!! Yep, her way or the highway, just like her daddy!