{Baseball Stars}

Our Baseball season ended a couple of weeks ago....just in time because it was getting hot at the games :o). The boys had so much fun, and we loved coming to all their games and practices and cheering them on!


This was Ethan's first year playing and he had a fun team with lots of kids from our ward. He improved a lot and loved playing first base. His last game was held at the Spring Training Stadium and his picture flashed across the big screen several times. Pretty cool!


Rhett also improved a lot and his favorite moment was when he got someone out at first base. He had a very competitive team and coach, which worried me at first but it ended up being a great thing and pushed him to do his very best. We are so proud of him!

Both boys received medals which they wore to bed that night and are very proud of. As soon as their uniform shirts are washed that's what they want to wear. Ethan wears his pants and socks too....they are both sad that the season ended. They are excited for the next sport though....swim lessons start in a couple of weeks. Hello summer here we come!! I bought pool passes this summer and we have already spent a couple days there, with many more to come I'm sure! I'm tempted to take my camera there and do a "Do's and Don'ts" post about what you should and shouldn't wear to the pool. Yikes there are some crazy (and confident) people out there!

I'm adding one more picture of Ethan...he played basketball in the spring and loved it. I laugh when I see this picture because he was so insistent on combing his own hair. He used a lot of gel and combed it straight forward :o).

PS I am finishing the recipes tonight and will be e-mailing them out! Thanks to everyone who participated, I'm sure you'll love the good ones everyone contributed!

{Mother's Day}

I hope that everyone had a great Mother's Day...Cody and my boys spoiled me and now I am feeling the pressure to make Father's Day just as great :o). On Sunday Rhett asked me "When is Kid's Day?" I told him that everyday is Kid's Day! They always get their meals prepared for them, snacks on demand, playtime with friends, etc!

My kids love all holidays..and so they were excited for Mother's Day since the week before. Ethan came home from preschool Thursday with a little present he had wrapped for me at school, and he ran upstairs to hide it until Sunday. Saturday the kids wanted to make me breakfast, so they sent me upstairs to wait for my surprise. I heard them rummaging around downstairs, so excited to cut something with a knife....good thing it was a butter knife and they decided that Rhett should do it since he was the oldest. When they brought me my plate they were so proud....oh I love these moments!! (it was blackberries, apples, and cheese).

Sunday morning Cody was able to stay home since they didn't have meetings at it was so nice to have him there to help get the kids ready. He made us a yummy breakfast. After church we went over to my parent's house for dinner prepared by my sisters....it was so nice.

I fell so lucky to be a mother to my three sweet boys. They have so much energy, enthusiasm, excitement....every day with them brings something new to laugh about. They keep me on my toes for sure, but I love them so much and feel so lucky to have the life that I do with Cody. Who would have thought that this girl from a family with 5 girls would be a mother to all boys and love it like I do.... Don't get me wrong I have my hard days, my moments when I call Cody in tears because I feel like I am failing as a mother, or am so tired of the fighting or teasing - but all in all they are amazing children and I feel blessed to be their mother.

{Recipes}

I'm puttting the recipes all together that you have sent me, there are so many that look fabulous and yummy!! It's not too late to send them to me, I know there are still some that wanted to that may have forgotten.

brooke_and_cody@hotmail.com

{Spring Fun}

We have have had a nice long spring with great weather, and since we know the heat is coming we try to be outside as much as we can! A part of me is excited to get into swimsuit weather and take the kids to the pool, but I know it's always a long summer full of lots of sunscreen applications and hot cars so I try to keep that in mind :o). The boys are very excited for swim lessons though, and can't wait for Grandpa Flake to take the top off his pool. I finished my semester and it's nice to have some free time in the evenings.

A few weeks ago my Mom and I took Ethan and Kade to an outdoor amusement park in downtown Phoenix. The kids had fun, but it was a bit pricey even with coupons so I'm not sure if I'd go back. When we first arrived the park was full of children from a head start program and it was making me feel claustrophobic. They were "in my bubble" (hee hee Melissa). Luckily they didn't stay for long, and after they left we had the park basically to ourselves so the kids went on the rides over and over with no waits. have had a nice long spring with great weather, and since we know the heat is coming we try to be outside

Kade took his job driving very seriously, he thought he really was steering :o)

This was Ethan's favorite ride, a little roller coaster that went pretty fast.


Ethan loved the spinning ride also.

Bumper Boats

Wheeee!

They were not strict on height restrictions, so when Kade snuck in line for the roller coaster they let him right on. My Mom and I watched amazed as he rode around, even putting his arms in the air when the big kids did. My youngest two have no fear! (He's in the back)

Rhett escorted me to his school's Mother Son Dance a few weeks ago. He looks forward to this all spring, and I love to have some one on one time with him. This year they had a dinner first, and then we went into the gym where there was a DJ and lots of sports games and stations to have fun at.

Playing Hockey together

Busting a move...

Ethan of course was in tears that he didn't get to come too, but next year he'll be in Kindergarten so I'll have two dates :o). My boys are growing up so fast....

I wanted to remind those that wanted to, to please e-mail me your recipes. I know a lot of people have expressed interest but you are like me and procrastinate :o). I have received a couple e-mails so far, but if you want to join the fun please e-mail me your recipe(s) by next WEDNESDAY and then I'll e-mail you back a list of all of them together a few days after that. I have a lot of great ones I'm adding so you don't want to miss out! One of which is a yummy chicken taco recipe that you do in the crock pot with some fabulous corn salsa you add on top! You will love it, I'm sure! Hope everyone is doing well :o)

XOXO

Brooke

brooke_and_cody@hotmail.com