{Day 1}

I have soooo many pictures from our trip so I thought it would be easier to break it down into days! This is probably boring to everyone else but I want to remember all the fun moments that made our trip so fabulous!

A few years ago Cody's family decided to do a reunion every other year, and the siblings would take turns being in charge. This was our year, and a year ago we told everyone that we were going to go to Disneyland :o). Let's face it, no one wants to come to AZ for a vacation in the summer and the drive from UT to Disneyland was only 7 miles more than the drive from UT to AZ! It's only 5 hours for us though...not bad at all! We had such a great time I am already planning on doing the same trip next fall!

Only 3 out of the 7 families ended up being able to come, but we had a great time with the ones that did come. Cody's parents came, Kael and Monica and their three kids (Kendyll is 8, Logan is 4, Crew is 1, and Monica is expecting), Danny and Lesli (they brought Ashton who is 4 but left Lucy who is 1 back in UT with Grandma M.), and our family came. We also brought my little sister Ally along (she's 12) to be our little nanny and help out.

We met at the hotel Wednesday late afternoon and then went to a local Mexican Restaurant. After some good food we went back to the hotel and went swimming and relaxed in the hot tub.

Ashton, Logan, and Ethan were best buddies. They are just a few months apart.

Ethan & Grandpa Ashton, Cody & Rhett

Brooke, Kade, & Grandma Ashton

Ally & the boys

{Rhett's 7th B-day}

Rhett's 7th Birthday was on Saturday and it has been very anticipated!! We woke up bright and early so he could open his presents before Daddy left for work (as you can tell by Ethan's squinty eyes!)

Then the kids ate Rhett's breakfast of choice...sugar cereal of course. He picked out Lucky Charms a few days ago and was so excited to eat it. Of course the whole box was gone in 2 days!

Later we met Daddy at Home Depot for their kid's craft day. The boys got aprons, suckers, popcorn, and made a football thingy with hammers, nails, and screws. Pretty fun! (sorry about the pic, it won't turn for some reason).

Then we went to lunch at Red Robin. Rhett had spaghetti and carrots...yummy!

He was so excited when the waitresses all came and sang to him, and gave him a hot fudge sundae.
That night Grandma and Grandpa Flake came over and gave him his favorite present....a whistle just like his PE coach's. He can only blow it outside (sorry neighbors!) but wears it around his neck constantly!


Happy Birthday Rhett, we LOVE YOU!!

{My Rhett}

Can it really be that 7 years ago Cody and I had our first little boy? Sometimes it feels like it's gone so fast...other times I can't remember life before Rhett very well at all! Cody and I had only been married 6 or 7 months when we found out we were expecting. It was a surprise, but a happy one! We discovered that the medication I was taking for step throat cancelled out my birth control pills....a little info for those that didn't know medication does that!

I was so excited and Cody was so nervous! He was hoping to get through school before we started our family. Somehow after I had Rhett he let me stay home with him while Cody worked full time and went to school full time. He was AMAZING and still is. But back to Rhett....

Rhett was 6lbs 11oz. I was induced because he refused to come out...and when he was born it was a scary fast delivery that required no pushing, the vacuum, and a broken tailbone. More ouchy details but I'll spare you those! I couldn't walk normal for months! He was so worth it though!

Rhett was an easy-going baby. Like all my boys, he developed a love for balls and cars early on! He loved to play outside and go on walks. He was my travel buddy as he and I made lots of trips from Utah to AZ to visit my family!

When Rhett was 2-1/2 his brother Ethan was born! Rhett was a great big brother...giving lots of kisses and always bringing Ethan new toys.

Rhett made us all nervous by not talking until he was 3! When he started, it all came fast though - and you would never know it now. When he was younger he was really into makes and models of cars. We would be driving around and he would be naming them off left and right, and telling us if they were a new or older model, what side the gas cap was on and what shape it was.


Here's some facts about Rhett right now: *loves pizza, spaghetti, and fettuccine alfredo *loves ice cream like his daddy and can eat LOTS! *is so honest, always tells the truth *loves to play with cars from Cars the Movie *is a fast runner *loves a schedule like his mama! *is a great reader and has very neat handwriting *used to be so afraid of medical masks but now loves to go to the dentist *loves to color *loves church *gets really attached to his teachers *likes to go on hikes and go camping

I never thought growing up in a family of all sisters that I would be a mom to all boys, but I love it and especially love how my boys are "mama's boys". Rhett is especially, we have something special together. He is always complimenting me and telling me he loves me. I feel so lucky to have him be the oldest boy in our family, he is such a great big brother to Ethan and Kade. Rhett we love you!! XOXO

{Labor Day}

It's been a long time since Cody had a full day off other than Sunday so we made the most of it! The kids went to a fun b-day party in the morning at pump-it-up. In the afternoon Cody said "hey, it's only 92 degrees....let's go for a hike!" It's crazy when that seems like cooler weather! We got lots of icy water bottles and headed to the White Tank Mountains, on one of our favorite hikes down Waterfall Canyon. It's a mile there, a mile back - very kid-friendly with only a few hard parks walking across big rocks in the water. We let Kade walk for a little bit then strap him in the backpack (well Cody does!) and off we go.

Kade was very proud to lead the way!

Ethan kept wanting me to take his picture next to every big rock.

At the end of the hike in the water we found lots of fun creatures....grasshoppers and baby frogs that the boys had fun holding. On our way back we saw a deer...pretty cool to see that in the desert in AZ! It was hot but we had a great time.

{Melissa & Sam}

My sister Melissa and her husband Sam came down from Utah for a week to visit! We had so much fun hanging out, playing games, and just laughing at all the silly things we laugh about when we are all together! Does anyone else get all giddy and weird when they are around their sisters? We have way too many inside jokes and lines that remind us of funny things from our past....Sam would just roll his eyes and humor us!!

I have 5 sisters and we are pretty spread out age-wise. I'm the oldest (28), then there's Melissa (24), Ashley (21), Brittany (17), and Ally (12).

The boys were so excited to see them, they especially liked it when Melissa and Sam had a sleepover at our house. They made sure to wake them up in the morning by jumping on their bed. Sam taught Kade a new trick...giving "bones".

We went over to my mom's lots - we went swimming and played a wild game of badmitton.


My sis-in-law April watched my boys Sat. morning so I could go with my family to Sunsplash. Lots of fun, espcially with no little kids to worry about! Of course it had it's funny moments - lots of wedgies, a "string", and my swimsuit top loosing all elasticity. I had to tie a knot in the side of my suit like in the 80's - othewise it would have been to my knees. Too bad, it was a cute top!!

It was a fun, fun week and we were sad to see them go. Can't wait until Christmas until we see them again!

XOXO

Brooke

{1st Day of School!}

Summer went fast...like it always does and this week the boys started school. Rhett's in 1st grade this year. He was excited for school to start but a little nervous about his new teacher. He came home smiling big telling me she was so beautiful and he already told her he loves her.

Monday morning Ethan cried and cried...why couldn't his school start on Monday? When we took Rhett to his class Ethan looked on all the desks trying to find a name tag with his name...when it was time to say good-bye to Rhett, Ethan started crying again. Was it because he was going to miss Rhett or because he wanted to stay and be in 1st grade? #2.

We had to make Monday extra fun so we played games like stick Ethan in the tinker-toys bin... Then I was Miss Ashton and Ethan practiced writing his name over and over so he could impress Miss Christy.

At last it was Tuesday...and Ethan's 1st day of pre-school. He has been counting down this day since Rhett started Kindergarten! Kade was pretending the lunch bag was his backpack...

Ethan's preschool had a muffin breakfast and then it was time for parents to go.....so then Kade started crying, wishing he could stay. I could barely buckle him into his carseat because he was throwing such a big fit. Oh boy..... Ethan had a great first day and I know he'll have lots of fun and learn a lot this year.

I have improved my "letting go" skills this year, only tearing up when I passed by the Kindergarten room remembering how hard it is to leave your little one for the first time. I haven't even drove by the playground at recess time...look at me now!

{Shelly's B-day}

My dear friend Shelly's b-day was on Saturday...and her sweet hubby pulled together a surprise dinner for her. I was so impressed, he called us all earlier in the week so we could get sitters. We went to dinner at Dillons and then we went to an improv. The guy in the front pic is from the improv, we told him to do something funny for the picture...you can't see but he's attempting the splits.

Brian was a star in the show...



Shelly got called up on stage for her birthday.....go GINA!

We had a great time....thanks Chad for pulling it together, let's do it again soon!