Utah Lake

Last weekend we decided to head out to Utah Lake. It was going to be a quick trip for us because we had a lot going on that day. Maggs and Brady had Ava's birthday party at noon and then we were having Brandon's parents over for fathers day dinner at 6:30. We decided that even a couple of hours out on the lake were better than none. So we hurried and packed up all of our gear. Jacks called his friend Ryan to come with us. Brandon and I pretty much grew up on a boat and so we've never realized that kids who have never been to the lake or on a boat are really scared to be out there. It was Ryan's first time and we could tell he was super nervous. After we launched the boat we drove out on the lake a ways and stopped so the kids could swim and we could get things in the boat situated. Ryan jumped in and started to panic. He was afraid that his life jacket wouldn't keep him afloat and he didn't know to use the ladder to get back into the boat. He was DONE getting back in the lake. Brandon and I felt so bad. We decided to blow the tube up for the kids. Ryan was happy to watch the other three get pulled behind the boat. I told Ryan that I was going to ride on the tube with Chloe and I asked him if he would like to go on a really slow ride with us. He still said no. But after watching Chole out there having a good time with me he decided it was safe. We had all six of us on the tube and Brandon was going super slow. Ryan was starting to finally relax and have fun. When I asked if he wanted to go faster he said no. So the whole time I am talking to him and telling him what a good driver Brandon is and that Braden and Maggie have never fallen off our tube before. And while I'm explaining this to him we seem to be going slower and slower..... and turning a little bit. Then suddenly the nose of the tube started to get submerged and we were going in. I held Chole up over my head as high as I could but she still went under the water. It seemed like it took forever for Chloe and I to come up but when we did I was so worried about Ryan.(I knew Chloe was going to be just fine). I started calling out for him and then I looked up and I saw him sitting on the tube gripping both sides. He somehow managed to be the only one who stayed on the tube. Brandon was trying so hard not to laugh at the whole situation and I was trying not to overreact. But once I was sure everyone was safe and happy I started laughing. It really was a great day out on the lake. We finished up our trip with Jacks skiing. He tried to go out of the wake for his first time today and did amazing. He crashed trying to get back in. But he did so great for his first time. I was real proud of him!! Later that night we were fortunate enough to have grandpa and grandma Brooks over for a great dinner. It was a fantastic night to celebrate the men in our life. I truly feel so blessed that my kids have such wonderful examples of what a husband and father should be! Dad, Kay and Brandon I love you all!!

It has been a long time since I've done anything with this blog. I just got out of the habit. The kids are growing up so fast and busy doing everything. Brandon is busy with work, his church calling, coaching Jackson's HC storm soccer team and being a dad. And I've been busy raising a family. I was put in as the young women's secretary last week. They reorganized the whole presidency. Sara Anderson is the new president, Annie Barker-1st councilor, PJ Maughan-2nd councilor. For the lesson I went in with the beehives and the lesson was on journal keeping. After the lesson I felt that this is something that I need to be better about so here it goes. We had a silly thing happen in our family the other week and it's something that I never want to forget. Braden and Maggie had been playing upstairs all afternoon with our neighbor Ava Nielson. I could hear them upstairs playing house. It was time for Ava to leave and so Maggie and Braden headed outside to find some other friends to play with. I was putting a few things away in the garage when Maggie came up to me and said "mom I need to tell you something about Braden. But you have to promise you wont get mad at him." I looked up and I could see Braden hiding in front of our tahoe scared to death. I promised Maggie that I wouldn't get upset and that she could tell me. So Maggie whispered in my ear "Braden kissed Ava today on the lips". We have had a few problems in our neighborhood with the kids making each other kiss and so I asked Maggie if someone made Braden kiss her. The answer was no. I walked over to Braden who looked up at me with his huge brown eyes. I could tell he was really nervous and I asked him if it was true. If he did kiss Ava. He looked at me and said "yes". Then I asked him why he kissed her. And if Maggie made them kiss. The answer was no. So then I asked if Ava made him kiss her. The answer was still no. Then he said "my head just made me do it". I tried so hard not to laugh at his response. It was so honest!! I love this little boy to death and I love being a mom. I explained to Braden that kissing girls is a good thing but that he needed to save his kisses for when he gets older. And for now he should just give his mommy lots and lots of kisses!! When I told Kaci (Ava's mom) the story she asked Ava if Braden had kissed her and her response was just as cute. She said "yeah mom but don't worry I wiped it off".

BLESSED

Our family has had a couple little bumps this week that has caught us totally off guard. It all started back in November while on our cruise with friends and neighbors. Brandon hurt his knee playing soccer on the last day and last activity of our fabulous trip. After a few months of not being able to walk on his leg right or straighten his knee all the way he decided his injury might be a little more serious than he thought. After going to a specialist and having an MRI we found out that he had damaged his miniscus and possibly his acl and he would need to go in for surgery. The day before his surgery at my weekly doctors appointment I measured small so my doctor wanted to schedule an ultra sound to make sure my fluid levels were ok and that the baby was growing. Brandon's surgery was a little more involved than we thought it would be. When the doctor got in to operate he found that Brandon's miniscus was shredded and he removed 80%. The good news was that the acl was stretched quite a bit but the doctor wouldn't need to do any repairs. He injected it with Brandon's platelettes in hopes that it would heal on its own. Brandon was able to come home an hour or so after his surgery. But we were told that he needed to keep it elevated and iced for the first 48 hours and absolutely no weight on his leg for 2 weeks. The kids were so welcoming and cute. They had made signs, cards, bought balloons and plenty of chocolate and diet coke to help their dad on his way to a speedy recovery. The next day my mom went in with me to my ultra sound appointment. We found out that my fluid levels were on the very low side of normal and the baby's growth had slowed down. He told me the best thing to do would be to start watching soap operas, drinking lots and eating bon bons on the couch. So I came home to a husband who was completely down and three sweet, worried kids who needed me to take care of them. My mom immediately stepped in and took care of my kids, changed Brandon's ice machine for him, cleaned my house, put my kids to bed at night and was here bright and early the next day to take care of things again. Some of my best friends and neighbors caught wind of what was going on and arranged for friends and neighbors to bring in a weeks worth of dinners. On Monday morning my mother in law was here bright and early doing more cleaning, dusting, vaccuming and helping with the kids. The service was so overwhelming. A part of me wanted to say no, stop we're are just fine. I didn't want us to be the charity case. But then my heart became so full with gratitude and thankfulness that I lost it and tears streamed down my face. I am so very thankful for all the wonderful people around me who have done more for me and my family this week than bring a warm meal or completely taken over things here at the house. They have taught me what the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about and I am so very thankful and so very BLESSED.

Highlights!!!

I can't believe how time can slip away so fast. It's been so long since I've posted and so much has happened in our family! So rather than try to play catch up I will just go over a few highlights and try to do better. I guess I had better start with our BIG news! We found out in November that we will be adding a little GIRL to our family in March (yes I only have 7 1/2 more weeks to go, but whose counting?) We are ecstatic to have another girl especially Maggie. She has been practicing feeding her baby and changing her baby's diapers so she will be all ready to help out with her new sister. Braden has been so cute too. He always asks me where the baby is and then he will hug my tummy and tell his sister he loves her.

The kids had a great Halloween. Since Halloween fell on a Sunday it seemed like we had a whole weekend full of trick or treating!



Cutest trick or treaters ever!!



Trick or treating on main in front of grandma's store!



Our last weenie roast at grandpa and grandma Brooks' house



Carving pumpkins on Halloween afternoon

In November it was such a treat to have aunt Tiff, uncle Nate, Livy, Sophie and Porter come for Thanksgiving. The kids had so much fun sledding, playing in the snow, coloring, bowling, making gingerbread houses and being together. We were so sad to see them leave.



The best grandparents ever!!!

My birthday boy!!
I can't believe my baby is 3!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY big guy we love you so much! For Brady's special day we took him miniature golfing at Trafalga. He had so much fun he loves to golf! After golfing we had family over for dinner, presents and birthday cake. Braden was so cute opening up all his gifts. He opened his present from grandpa and grandma Jackson and as soon as he saw 2 big trucks he started jumping up and down saying "yay, yay, yay is that for me?"

My big 2nd grader!!

I can't believe summer is winding down and it's time to get back into a routine. I also can't believe that this guy is in 2nd grade. Time flies way too fast. This year he has 2 teachers Mrs Thomas in the morning and Mrs Staples in the afternoon. He seems pretty excited to start back and is really excited about having lots of his friends in his class.

Lake Powell

This year on our family trip to Lake Powell was another great year! We did so many fun things and made so many fun memories. The kids had a blast jumping off the back of the house boat, jumping off the top of the houseboat, sliding down the slide, playing in the sand, fishing, having dance parties at night on the top deck, going on hikes and sight seeing, going to the marina for ice cream, jumping off cliffs, riding the tube, playing with friends, catching frogs, eating yummy food, early morning skiing and wakeboarding, swimming across the bay, watching shooting stars and playing with uncle Jeff (who became everyone's favorite uncle)! This year in Lake Powell Jackson learned how to wakeboard. He did so great and loved it. Maggie learned how to water ski. I talked to Maggie before and told her that she might fall down when she tries but that it was ok. It was all part of learning. I told her not to be afraid and that we would be right there to help her. So her first attempt she tried to stand up and fell right away. It scared her so much that there was no way she was going to try again. I sat out in the water with her trying to calm her down but she wouldn't, she was too hysterical. Brandon finally decided to coast and head back toward the houseboat. Thinking we would just drag her back. As I held onto her ski's I finally convinced Maggie to at least hold onto the rope. Slowly I convinced her to try standing up so she did and she popped right up!! The little stinker was water skiiing. She did awesome but refused to smile. Getting her to try skiing a second time was a little harder but she did it and didn't even get wet. By the end of the trip she was doing laps around the bay. We didn't document this trip very well-I guess we were too busy having fun and playing but here are a few pics of the kids



Jacks jumping off the top- we had to do lots of convincing but once his friends Bree and Ash jumped with no problems he decided that it was ok for him to jump too!



this was Braden's way cool trick




Jacks wakeboarding




Maggie on ski's




The kids fishing off the back




Jackson's fish




Our little poser




Braden and Isaac Vance playing on the beach

Brooks family reunion

I feel like the end of July through August was a huge whirlwind. We did so many fun family things all in a short period of time! Every year usually the end of July we have a Brooks family reunion. It is so crazy but so much fun. It is the one time of year that my kids get to see their Brooks cousins and Brandon gets to catch up with his brothers. This year Brad and Sara were in charge of planning and putting together the reunion and they did a fabulous job. I have to admit that at first I was a little skeptical. We were going to be camping in Nevada in the middle of nowhere. I thought that it would be hot and not much to do there but I was way wrong. We camped in The Great Basin National Park for 3 days.

We arrived Thursday around lunch time set up camp had a quick lunch and headed off to explore the Lehman caves. There were two separate tours a 90 minute tour for the older kids and a 60 minute tour for the younger kids. I went on the shorter tour with Maggie and Braden. The caves were amazing.








Once we got back to camp Brad and Sara gave each of the kids a coin bag and told them that there was gold scattered around the camp. The smaller kids got to start looking for "gold" (dollar coins and quarters). Then the big kids were unleashed. They had so much fun searching every part of the camp ground. I think that they were searching for days and still finding a few treasures.






The next day the kids were able to do the metal detector and then we hiked the rest of the day. It was really a great time. It's always fun being together with cousins.



The end of our hike!!! We made it



Taking a rest on the trail



The whole gang