Life and Times

In organizing our pictures I came across some extras that didn't really merit their own post but are still kinda cute so I thought I'd share them with everyone. Enjoy!


This is Brooke all made up for her very first picture day at her pre-school. The balloon is a remenant from her birthday that she decided she wanted to pose with.


Here's Bry who got jealous of Brooke and also wanted to take a picture day picture



Bry loves taking pictures but hasn't quite mastered smiling for them. Basically this just leaves him bearing all of his teeth in pictures like he's ready to pounce.

Brooke right after her new haircut. She is the cutest girl in the world!

Bry's comfortable new chair designed and crafted by his loving sister who accessorizes anything she decorates with small stuffed dogs

Just hanging out

"I'll be right back. I gotta go return this car to the Flinstones"

"It's so great to have Daddy home at the end of the day. He can be a real work horse"

Bryant's Career Choice

So we recently found ourselves going back to the children's museum. With all their many activities Bry decided it was time to stop living so aloof and finally buckle down and figure out what he wants to do with his life. Here are some pics of his possible future career choices.


"Kayaking seems fun but I wish these rapids were a little 'rapid-ier'."



"Welcome to Wal-Mart. Did you find everything you need today."



"I refuse to accept that 'Jedi' is not an acceptable career path"

Host of "Extreme Makeover: Playground Edition"

Horsing Around

When they opened a new park near our house they had a grand opening party with a petting zoo, horse rides, and face painting. The kids loved petting the animals and riding the horse which made for some great little memories and good pictures.


Time to go wrangle up some cattle



"Hi Ho Silver! Away!"



"I wonder if these cages would work on little brothers as well as goats?"

"Look what the goat drew on me"

Easter in Texas

Here's just a few Easter pictures even though they are a little late. We had a great Easter morning enjoying the fruits (chocolates) of the Easter Bunny in the morning. Then later that day we got to go over to the Griffeths for a great Easter Egg hunt and Easter dinner. The kids had a blast and was a lot of fun for everyone.


Bry got to do his first easter egg hunt and had a blast!



Brooke and Bry getting ready for the great egg pursuit



This is Bry a little later on Easter Morning. We don't usually see a closed lip smile and I love it so I thought I'd share it with the world.



Brooke showing off all the candy the Easter Bunny was kind enough to leave

Happy Easter Everyone!!

Brooke's Birthday

Yes it's true. Our little girl has made it another year and is a whopping 5 YEARS OLD! Where has the time gone?!? Brooke decided she wanted a butterfly party and so Shan being the loving Mommy that she is decided to do all she could to fulfill our little girl's birthday wish. We had a party over at our house where the kids got to make little paper butterflies, catch bubbles in their very own butterfly nets, enjoy the fruits of destroying a butterfly pinata, and finally of course, enjoying some butterfly shaped cake and ice cream. Fun, fun, fun. Anyway, thanks to all who called with birthday greetings and sent great birthday gifts for her birthday. She loved all of her gifts and we feel so lucky to have such great family and friends who care so much for our little girl. Enjoy the pictures!



It's my birthday! Time to go CRAZY!!!!!



""What better to do with a long stick than to swing it at stuff?"



"It seems like I've caught hundreds of bubbles but none of them seem to stay in my net"



Shan actually made a cocoon cake about 3 weeks ago and luckily it had turned into a butterfly in time for her birthday.

"I'm sorry Mr. Butterfly, but it's all for the cause"

The cute family enjoying some post-party relaxation

Brooke showing off some new butterfly jammies she got for her special day

Brooke watering her new birthday garden. The house we're renting had a pond in the backyard which is not a good mix with two young kids so for Brooke's birthday we let her pick out some flowers and converted it into a garden.

Epic Non Motion Pictures

So we obviously haven't kept up with the blog but I thought instead of blogging about every little thing we've been doing for the past four months, I'd just send out a grand picture montage summing up most of our activities. Just to mention the highlights:

Bry's getting a lot bigger and talking a lot more saying pretty much anything you say to him. Brooke has started pre-school and is having a blast.
Brooke has also lost her first tooth. We wanted to keep it when it fell out but as it turned out she swallowed it while eating lunch and I definitely wasn't going to go looking for it:-)
Shan's now a primary teacher (5-6 yr. olds) and I am in the Young Men again (teachers quorum)
We finally got a second car (Honda Odyssey). How liberating!!

To sum up we've been keeping ourselves very busy, but are having a lot of fun. Hope everyone's well and enjoy the pics!



Welcome back to our blog!



Brooke went medieval on us at Thanksgiving and just kind of dove in with her massive turkey leg



And this is how Bry ate at Thanksgiving




Brooke's become somewhat of a fort master in the last 4 months and builds one almost every day now



And Bry loves cars and trucks and plays with them all the time



Here's the beginning of what became a Christmas photo shoot for Brooke. I've included some of her other poses for your enjoyment:-)

Happy-go-lucky

Stayin alive

Christmas Morning Surprise

The look she's not ever allowed to give to any boy

Zoolander

We also got to go to Seaworld in San Antonio this December and Brooke got to ride her first little roller coasters

Brooke loved SeaWorld since she's such an animal lover at heart. The dolphins were her favorite followed by the sharks, and then Shamu

"Hmmm.....Where could the big shark be???"

Brooke really wanted to put this picture in to show everyone who Shamu is

Cute Mommy/Daughter moment

Uncle Scottie and Bry at Christmastime

Kissing Cousins....literally

Shan and the kids setting out cookies and carrots for Santa and the Reindeer on Christmas Eve

Brooke ready to take off on her new pink scooter that Santa got for her

Bry chasing his new Thomas the Train toy on Christmas morning

The three cousins

Bry looking all festive with the red nose from Aunt Meggie.

Bry is now interesting enough that Brooke uses him as a toy in practically every single one of her games

Brooke also has taken up cooking with Mommy pretty regularly and helps her whenever she can

Brooke showing off a bumblebee she made from a kit she got from Aunt Erin. When Brooke realized there were extra stickers she decided to fully dedicate herself and "become" her art

Shan has also decided to give Bry all of his haircuts and we've found as long as he has a sucker to keep him occupied he'll actually sit still for it

Mealtime = Playtime

Our cute little girl snuggling her kangaroo bath loufah affectionately named Kangy

A blonde-haired, blue-eyed kid who marks up his face to look like an evil dictator. Does anyone else see any warning signs here?

She just keeps growing

"Who needs a car? I have all my transportation needs taken care of right here."

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Bry's sadly been a little sick (along with the rest of us) for the past little while and has had to go back on his nebulizer. As you can see he's grown accustomed to it.

Me and Miss Livvy at Christmas. I love this picture.

Time for a snooze:-)