{Sedona}

We're back! We had a fun 4 days in Sedona for the yearly Edward Jones Summer Regionals Meeting. How fun to work for a company where lots of your friends work along with their fun wives and families! We had such a great time (thus the millions of pics I am going to post!). My mom kept Kade for us and although we missed him lots, the vacation was a lot easier without him and his two naps a day to plan around!!

Cody and 7 of his friends went mountain biking early one morning. They had a great time and went really far..in the top pic on the left that's where they started and they rode all the way to those mtns in the background. He had a lot of fun and would love a mtn bike for his birthday I'm sure!!

One of the days we went to Beaver Creek, a really cool swimming hole with some rope swings and small cliffs for the boys to jump off of. Ethan especially loved the rope swing and did it over..and over..and over. When we first arrived he jumped off a pretty high cliff (for his size) and when he hit the water a lot of dirt came up and he didn't even go under water. It was really shallow where he had jumped into and we are so luck he didn't break his legs or get hurt!! I think his life jacket helped him stay close to the surface, thank goodness!!

Chad took us out on his Ranger, Ethan said it was the fastest golf cart ever! Then Adrianna took the girls out for a ride. We thought about staying out all day but decided to be nice and come back :o).

The resort we stayed at was really nice, it had a pool we went to several times a day and lots of ponds with fish and ducks. The kids loved the dress up nights, one night was cowboys and indians and the last night was a masquerade and the kids made masks and got to parade them through the grownup's formal dinner.


Cody looked so great in his suit, I love how he dresses so nice for work each day even though I'm sure it's not so fun for him!! I am so proud of him and how well he is doing already! He is such a hard worker and we are already seeing results. Love you hon!!

{Father's Day}

Happy Father's Day everyone!! What can I say - I am surrounded by good men in my life so this is a great day to show them how much they mean to me.

Growing up I didn't understand why people would say "oh, your poor Dad!" when they found out he had 5 girls and no sons! Now with all boys, I understand!! You love your kids for sure but boy are boys different than girls, and vice verse!

My Dad has so many great qualities - he is hardworking, dependable, a strong priesthood holder with an undeniable testimony. He loves the outdoors, he would take us on fun camping trips and on lots of hikes growing up. He loves to garden and has a huge, amazing garden in his backyard that I get lots of goodies from without doing any work! I am so glad to live close to my dad again, he is such a fabulous grandfather to my boys and such a great example to them. He tells them coyote stories in the dark at night and lets them have sleepovers in the tent in the backyard. He takes them on hikes and lets them roast marshmallows in the backyard.

Rhett and Grandpa Flake at the Arizona Temple Lights - Dec 2003

Cody, Rhett, Grandpa Flake - Feb 2004

My Dad and I- June 1980

Another great Father in my life is my Father-in-law Gene! Wow was I so lucky to marry into such an amazing family with such sweet in-laws! You have never seen a man with a more positive attitude than Gene. He always look for the good in the situation or person. He is full of energy, always willing to help with any kind of project - he just jumps on in. He can build anything! He is amazing, no project is too big!

When it comes to grandchildren he just jumps right in! He wrestles with them, throws them around, and lets them crawl all over him when he's sitting on the couch! He is such an example to me of a good father and I am so thankful my husband grew up with him as his father. It's hard living far away but we love all the visits he and Cassie make to see us. The boys pray that they can go to Grandma and Grandpa Ashton's house at every meal prayer and nightly prayer!

Hiking with Gene and Cassie and Dustin and April's Family - Jan 2006

Grandpa Ashton & Rhett in our first home - Jan 2004

Gene Ashton Family - Summer of 2001 (I'm 8m preg with Rhett) 18 grandkids have been born since then!!

Now on to my sweet hubby! He is such a great father to his three boys and they love him beyond belief! He comes home from a long day of work and as soon as he's out of his work clothes the kids are ready to jump on the trampoline with him, wrestle, play football, or anything else that involves lots of energy!

He tells the best bedtime stories, the kids beg for them every night. The boys love going grocery shopping with Cody, he is sure to buy lots of sugar cereal and ice cream! Cody is super-dad, helping me change diapers and give the kids baths at night. He is the love of my life and a hero in his boy's eyes.

Rhett, Cody, Ethan - November 2005

Christmas 2005

Rhett and Daddy in Lyman, WY - 2003

The boys were so excited to give their Dad some presents and sing to him in church today. Then tonight we had my family over and I made dinner - it turned out so good. I tried out some new recipes. I made this pork roast and these potatoes. Both were delish so I thought I'd put them on here is anyone's looking for some new recipes. Hope everyone else had a great day.

XOXO

Brooke

{Swim Lessons}

Well today was the last day of swim lessons! The kids were so excited to go down the slide at the end. Rhett's tall enough to go by himself when we go to the public pool, but Ethan is just shy of being tall enough and it brings him to tears each time. He has been talking about going down the slide non-stop, and luckily it did not disappoint him!

Here are the boys with Adam (or Tarzan as they call him). The boys thought he was the coolest, especially when he smooshed a wasp a few days ago and told them it was just "going on vacation". They thought that was the funniest thing. Now every time they squish a bug you bet that's what they'll be saying.

Kade and I even went down the slide, I was nice and held him on my lap instead of sending him on his own as I saw one Mother do.

Ethan showing off his sweet swimming skills.

Rhett coming down the slide.

Don't you love these cute suits from Old Navy? I've never bought the sets with swim shirts before and I'll never go back now! So much less skin to put on sunscreen!!

Kade's pose when you tell him to smile!

XOXO

Brooke

{Uncle Jake}

My Grandpa Flake, Jake, Steve, and Jed (his brothers)

On Sunday my Uncle Jake (actually my dad's uncle - my grandpa Dean's brother) passed away unexpectedly. He had just broken several ribs a few weeks earlier after a horse riding accident but appeared to be healing just fine until Sunday. Even though he is my great-uncle, I still felt so close to him and will miss him so much at the Flake Reunion we go to every Pioneer Weekend.

My Grandpa and his brothers are amazing men, true cowboys in the best way. They owned a cattle ranch in Snowflake Arizona and all lived along a winding dirt road I loved to visit when I was a child. I can remember summers spent walking along that road with my aunt Kaija. We would go in their barns, ride their horses, go inside and eat homemade cookies. Uncle Jake would give you a huge bear hug that would almost take the breath out of you but it felt so good. Tomorrow I am going to a memorial service in Phoenix, I will not be able to make it to the funeral in Snowflake.

Here's a link to some articles written after his death (click on the word): Jake Flake



Here's a tribute to Uncle Jake that my uncle Jeff did on the House Floor: Tribute

{R.I.P. Marshmallow}

R.I.P. Marshmallow the frog, May 29th - June 3rd. Passed away from unknown complications, discovered by Ethan. Ethan thought he had turned into a statue (darn rigamortis). Marshmallow will be greatly missed by his proud pet-owners, Rhett, Ethan, and Kade. In lieu of flowers, please leave comments on my blog.

In happier news....we sold Cody's truck. Now I don't have to drive it down Bell Rd. anymore getting honked at because I can't get it into first and I'm driving like a turtle. We're buying Cody's dad's Altima and Cody is flying up this weekend to get it. This means I have been trapped at home with no car, borrowing friend's cars to take my kiddos' to swim lessons.

Rhett and Ethan are in a class together, and having lots of fun. Their teacher is Adam, he has girl hair and he looks like Tarzan. Yes, they told him those things. He's really nice and he's got both boys swimming already, so I'm impressed. Kade and I are in the mommy and me class and he loves to jump off the side to me. We do it at the beginning and for the rest of class he points saying ump, ump (jump)! He's learned not to do his shriek though, or he gets a quick dunk under water. It's fun to be in the water everyday...the weather has been so fabulous and the water is actually cold at first! Not your typical AZ June weather!

Last weekend our friends Shannon and Phil had us over to swim and Bar-b-q. We had such a fun time!!

Brooke, Kade, Shannon, Pam
Jumping to Dad
Our cute host Hannah
Rhett

Ethan

Cannonball!

Well that's the latest in our crib, hope everyone else is having a fabulous summer!!

XOXO

Brooke