Halloween Mommy

As we were leaving the store where we bought Halloween costumes for Brynlee and Nash, Brynlee said, "Mom you need a costume too!" I said, "Oh really? What would I dress up as?" Without hesitation she replied, "A mommy." (It's hard to imagine your mother as anything but your mother isn't it?!) Playing along I said,"That's a good idea, what would I wear to dress up as a mommy?" She had to think for a second about this but then she said, "How 'bout pink lipstick?!" I'm not sure whose mother she has seen wearing pink lipstick, but I better get some!

Lil' Fingerprints

Brady invited some of his co-workers, their wives and families over on Friday night for a little BBQ so the kids and I spent most of the afternoon cleaning and getting things ready. The cake was the last thing we had to do...I took it out of the oven and set it on the counter to cool while I went to change my clothes. When I came back out to kitchen the top picture is what I found. Brynlee must have sensed she was in trouble because before I could even say anything she said, "Don't worry mom I'm just tasting it, its good." And she gave me her infamous "I love you mom!" that she does so well when she knows she's in trouble. It was pretty funny so I snapped a picture and put some extra thick frosting on it. Then I decided to take a picture of the sweet little lotion love notes Brynlee likes to leave on the mirror after I clean it. And just for good measure I took a couple more pictures to explain the little fingerprints all over the sliding glass doors. Sometimes I think it would be nice not to have little messes everywhere, but that would mean no little people and that would be so sad! I really do love all the little messes and fingerprints I find all over, and I even love finding a big pair of socks on the floor by the side of my bed every morning!

Here Buggy Buggy

At Brynlees request, we spent the entire afternoon searching the neighborhood for a butterfly...they must have moved south for the winter?! However we were lucky enough to find a beautiful green caterpillar that Brynlee adoringly named Cynde. I told her that maybe someday it would turn into a beautiful butterfly....
She waited and watched....
And waited and watched some more...eventually Cynde ended up on Brynlee's nightstand where she is still waiting to be reunited with her family, maybe I shouldn't have told her about the butterfly thing!

Go Aggies...I mean Broncos?!

Last Friday we thought we would go to the Broncos first home game of the season. It turns out that things are a little different here in Bronco country than we're used to. We noticed Bronco flags flying on every other car the entire day. When got near the stadium we realized we would be parking a couple miles away...I had never seen so many fans at a college game before! The entire parking lot around the stadium and the entire park nearby where full of tailgaters...everyone had their blue and orange Bronco tents set up with big screen TVs and chairs all around. I thought it was weird that so many people were sitting outside of the stadium watching but we soon found out that it was impossible to get tickets to get in! We didn't get to see the game in person, but that's okay because really we are still Aggie fans. We miss the quaint little stadium nestled in the foothills where they can't give the tickets away for a full house! Go Aggies! We hope this year goes better than last!

Super Powers

Just as I was making myself comfortable next to Brynlee on her bed last night, she realized we had forgotten her most favorite "soft blankey" on the couch downstairs. I knew she wouldn't sleep without it but feeling exhausted I didn't want to move so I told her to go get it. Happy for another opportunity to get out of bed, she bounced down and out the door. Half way down the stairs I heard her foot steps stop...there was a pause then "Mommy come help me be brave." I went to the top of the stairs. She saw me, smiled, turned around, and proceeded to make her way in the still dark downstairs to fetch her precious blanket. We climbed back in her bed with me grinning ear to ear. I love the super powers of motherhood! It's amazing how a mothers presence can make you feel brave, her kiss can heal, her touch soothes, her words give confidence, most days she has more strength and endurance than Heman, and let's not forget those secret eyes she grows in the back of her head! I know because I have a super hero mother. Thanks Brynlee and Nash for teaching me how a mother can have super powers!

Wipe Out Hopstickles

One of Brynlee's favorite things to do is watch the show "Wipe Out" with her dad. They snuggle up on the couch and have a good time laughing as people struggle to make it through the obstacle courses. The other day while I was getting Nash ready for bed Brynlee ran in telling me she needed a helmet. I told her we didn't have one and asked her what she needed it for. She said she needed to wear a helmet to do her "hopstickles", it took me a minute but when I saw the laundry baskets I caught on. Hence the hat, it is actually a helmet. She had a great time jumping from basket to basket, grunting and groaning like it was super hard. Occasionally she would even "fall" off into the water (onto the carpet) where she would "swim, swim, swim." She was pretty good, with a little more practice we might be taking her to tryouts!

The Things She Says

I have a couple funny little conversations to post today. The first one is from last night as I was trying to get Brynlee to go to bed.
Bryn-"Mom I really, really need to eat. I'm so hungry!"
This happens every night when she gets in bed, I'm trying to break the habit, so I tell her too bad she'll have to wait until breakfast. I remind her about all the food she ate for dinner and that she just had a bed time snack 10 minutes ago right before she brushed her teeth. I finish tucking her in and walk out of the room with her still protesting and pleading to eat. Half an hour goes by and she is still yelling down stairs, "Mom I'm hungry I just need to eat!" every 5 seconds with no sign of slowing down or giving in. Finally I march back upstairs, ready to make her stop but when I walk into her room she has her most pitiful look on and she says in her most convincing voice, "Mom I'm so hungry I just need to eat, my body is breaking." How do you say no to that? I gave in. She had some milk and half a cracker and happily reported, "I feel much better my body isn't breaked anymore."

This one was as we were getting in the car this morning.
Me-"Brynlee look at that squirrel."
Bryn-"Ahhh it's so cute. Can we catch it in a bottle and take it home?!"
Me-"Squirrels are too big to live in a bottle."
Bryn-"It's okay, we can just put it in a bottle for a little while to see how it dances. Then I will let it with its family."

Moose Hunt

This is a moose hunt that Brady went on with his friend Cody.

I Wanna Be A Cowboy!

Doesn't he look so mature with a goatee?! He just needs a little cowboy hat. I was feeding him some chocolate pudding that he was loving is so much he kept sucking his top lip in. His mustache was so hilarious I ran upstairs to grab the camera, when I got back it had already grow into a goatee! Kids really do grow up in the blink of an eye!

Happy B-day Brady!

Happy 30th Birthday Brady! I couldn't get a picture with all the candles lit, the glare was too bright. Just kidding, I was making a video and forgot to take pictures. We had such a great time celebrating...my favorite part of the day was watching Brady and Brynlee dance together to a Brad Pasley song "like cowgirls" as Brynlee described it. I love you Brady!

Sturgeon Fishing

Since we've been living in Idaho Brady has been finding all kinds of new fishing to do...sturgeon fishing is now a definite favorite. This weekend he and a couple friends were able to go out and catch a few of these prehistoric monsters!

Brynlee Starts School

Brynlee was and still is so excited about joy school...on her first day she asked me about 6o times if it was time to go yet. When is was finally time we went to the car, and when I started buckling her in her car seat she started to protest saying, "Mom! Thought I was supposed to ride the bus!!" I explained that the bus was for the really big kids whose school is far away. I told her I would be dropping her off at joy school. As soon as we pulled into Bailey's driveway she started saying, "Bye Mom, Thanks for dropping me off!" As I was getting her out of her seat she said, "You get back in the car mom." Talk about independent! Luckily she still let me walk her up to the door. She had so much fun now she wants everyday to be a joy school day.

Old Pics of Nashie Boy

What a little sweetie!