Bricki Reunion 2011

My Man

Sometimes I just have to shake my head at my luck that I got my man. He is amazing. Here he is by the fire he started with just his knife...that's right folks...no matches at all. For Father's Day, my sister was getting her husband this crazy camping knife and suggested I do the same for my hubby. Well, a better gift was never given. In fact, he had hooked it to his belt to wear to church on Father's Day. Luckily it didn't quite make that appearance.

Since then the knife has been used on many occasions, a few of them to create sparks while sitting in the lounge chair - not smart but who can stop the boyful-glee that is on my husband's face when he is "playing" with his knife.

Right now my husband and children are up in Provo Canyon camping. It all happened very quickly so when I went up for just the fire pit, there were a few essentials missing. I have been teasing my husband that I don't really know who I was camping with because that NEVER happens. He is always prepared not only for our families needs, but for everyone who goes with us as well.

But alas, I know I truly don't have to worry because my children will be safe because they are with my husband and his camping knife.

Love you buckets can't wait to see you tonight.

PS this post brought to you courtesy of Jen.

Too Quick

It is weird how you wait for something for so long, then it is finally here, and then over just like that. My sister (a.k.a. wonder woman) came out with her family in June. I can't even type her schedule while she was here, my fingers would fall off. Let's just say that she tackles life with gusto with five kids in tow (at one point she was going to take her 20 month old to hike the Y - and I have no doubt she would have done it had not saner heads prevailed!)

Here is just a very small sampling of her trip out west. Picture above - fire pit up AF canyon.

Salon day with the girls - cut, style and new hair accessories.

Trip to Eagle park - Ben in the fairy hole...I have a feeling he won't fit when they come out next year.

And getting ready to drive to Rexburg for the 2nd (or was it 3rd) time in a 20 day period. Wow, sure am lucky she is willing to do all the hard stuff (driving, hauling kids around, being flexible, living out of suitcases, etc, etc) so that the cousins can spend some quality time together. Sure do love ya Jen!

My Working Man

John recently undertook remodeling my parent's game room into a master suite. There was delay after delay and so the night before my parent's were expecting ALL seven kids in Burley, John was up painting at two in the morning. The top picture is of him the second coat - he "borrowed" one of my mom's shower caps because the first time his hair ended up a nice egg shell white. I am so happy that he has a good worth ethic to try to get the job done even if it requires a two am paint job. Lover you!

Friends and Siblings

I love it that my kids love each other. There is just something about seeing them all piled up on the couch reading a book together. Here are a few moments caught in time that show some of the fun they have together, or that just touched my heart. Love you monkies!

We are loving the new jet tub at our new house - it makes the bubbles go crazy!

Just a tender moment caught when moving Grama out of Highland Cove - all three holding hands in a train.

It's going to be hard having Jack at school all day. Maddie and Jack would have the best time in the mornings before he had to leave for afternoon kindergarten.

Easter

Hooray! I have finally figured out an easy way to get to the pictures I take on my phone...so now it will be a picture bonanza! Here is Jacee dressed up as a boy in some of Jack's clothes. Yep, still pretty cute (and not a very manly pose!)

On Easter, we had a neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt. It was AWESOME! I love this neighborhood.

It was pretty cold that day...but still fun. You can see Maddie is without a coat. She is our "hardy stock" child. Love these three monkies.

Maddie is Four!

I can't believe this little monkey is four. She sure keeps things exciting around our house. When she was three she was banned from chewing gum until she was four - so she got a bubble gum machine (and yes, ate all the gum that day!) I love to just sit and watch her. You really never know what she is going to do next. I also like to watch my husband - because he reacts to her in the exact same way he reacts to me - either laughing in that you-are-so-crazy kind of way, or is so frustrated he can hardly talk. Yep, she's mini-me.

I mean come-on. Look at that face. She is adorable!

Just one of the many get-ups she has on throughout any given day. We have decided she is always dressed up because you never know when the opportunity might present itself to put on a show. She also carries a bag with her "stuffs" in it everywhere she goes. It is quite traumatic if we leave the house without it.

This just makes me smile so I put it in. As many of you know, my husband is pretty good at about everything he does, cooking being no exception. Well, he went to make me a chocolate cake and this is how it turned out...we don't know why and it bothers him a little bit but hey, it's the thought that counts!

Thanks to my Parents

"The strength of any community lies in the strength of its families. The strength of any nation lies in the strength of its families. Strong family life comes of strong and clear religious understanding of who we are, and why we are here, and of what we may eternally become. Strong family life comes of the perception that each of us is a child of God, born with a divine birthright, and with a great and significant potential. Strong family life comes of parents who love and respect one another, and who love and respect and nurture their children in the ways of the Lord. These are under-girding principles of our teachings as a church. To the degree that we observe these teachings we build strong families whose generations will strengthen the nation."
--Gordon B. Hinckley,

Thanks mom and dad. You are wonderful parents and I am glad I have a great model for my own little family. I love you.

A Quick Peek

Yep, swimming in the warm-springs pool with the snow-capped mountains in the background. We are pretty spoiled in our little neck of the woods.

Jack has finally embraced the pool. Loves his "swimming lessons" with momma and spends most of his time diving for cars.

We never really know where Jacee is - she loves to explore every inch of the pool. By far our most adventurous swimmer - a fish from the day she was born.

Maddie likes the pool but hangs out on the steps most of the time. She finally has donned the floaty suit and kind of floated for the first time last week. Hoping she will have a breakthrough this summer. We'll see.

Hope you are all having a wonderful summer so far!