Brooklyn Avery's Newborn Photos

Abbie sure loves her sister.....and her favorite phrase is "Oh....she's so cute!" 

I've been trying to get baby announcements done and I am just getting around to posting newborn photos.

Now, grandma's and grandpa's can choose which ones they want....here's a little sampling...so let me know. Although I can't choose...I want them all! 

Reed is lying on the floor holding our precious. Too cute! 

Love you, my precious baby! 

One of my favorite.....can only do this pose when they are less than 10 days old when they are used to being folded and they LOVE it! It's just like being in the womb. 

I am so glad that I took the time to plan these photos...they are precious. 

Being held by her daddy.....although I think she holds her daddy's heart. 

We want to do cubscouts too!!

Abbie and Kaden (and now Brooklyn....of course) come with me to cubscouts each week. We do the Bear's Den and Isaac goes to the wolves (Isaac will be old enough for the Bear's Den next year). We were doing mosaic pictures with glue, coloring book pages (or pictures the scouts drew themselves) and glued beans of all colors shapes and sizes onto them to make a mosaic picture. 

The kids didn't finish their mosaic pictures at cubscouts(it's only an hour) and so Abbie and Kaden spent hours gluing pinto, black eyed peas, split peas, white beans and black beans to their entire pictures at home.

Abbie's picture was a unicorn and Kaden had a teenage mutant ninja turtle picture. 

They LOVED it!! That might be an understatement because they spent HOURS doing it and then it took DAYS to dry because of all the glue that was on their pictures to hold them together.

I am so grateful that you kids are so good so I can be a cubscout leader and have cute helpers like you!!

Sunday Nap?

I went in to check on the sunday afternoon nappers and SOMEBODY wasn't napping?

Taking a Windy Moment

It was a windy day and Reed took the kids into the open circle of our cul-de-sac to fly their little kites they got from grandma and grandpa Millett for Easter. Abbie found her tinkerbell kite and the kids had a great time flying their kites in the wind. 

The boys were "fighting" with their kites together and snapped the string of one of the kites. Reed and the boys went walking to the next neighborhood to try and find it but, it was no use....it had flown away. 

The kids had such a great time flying kites and they found their old star wars kite and had a great time! Great way to spend a windy moment plus it gave mom a needed break from the noise. I took time to enjoy a quiet moment with a snuggly little Brooklyn. Love those moments!

One Year Ago Today

I can't believe it's been a year. It really seems like yesterday that I was getting that heart wrenching phone call telling me that my oldest brother had passed away. It really is still hard to believe he's gone. We miss him so much and can't believe that a year has already passed.

This is my favorite picture of my brothers. I love it and will always cherish it. 

 He was an amazing older brother and we all have so many memories of him. I love to think of the fun times we had as kids. He was always the ring leader to all the crazy things we did as young kids. I don't have many memories as a child without him in them. I want my kids to know who their uncle Dustin is and the memories I have of him. 

I am so blessed that I got to sit and visit with just him and his family just a short while before he passed. He had come for Jacob's funeral.(Not all siblings were present in this picture, one sister was still at hospital with her new baby and my brother was on a mission). On the evening before the funeral, Dustin and his family came to the house and all the kids went down stairs to play. It was just the four of us and we were able to chat just as adults. I wish we got to see them more but, they lived in Colorado and we live in Utah. I loved that anytime the family was together we were creating more fun memories. This is unfortunately the last picture I have of us together and it is at my son's funeral. It was a sad time but, I do remember the good and fun conversations we had the night before the funeral. I am so grateful that we have SO many memories of us all together as a family. That is what I want to always remember....all the fun times and the good life he lived.

We all love and miss you Dustin. Still can't believe it's been a year and wow what a year. We will always cherish the fun and happy memories. Thank you for all the fun memories that we will keep always close to our hearts. Love you and miss you!

Catch-up for Easter

We went to the Syracuse city Easter Egg Hunt. We almost didn't make it on time until Reed "made" it happen. (Sorry inside joke) Abbie got the most eggs amongst the kids but, the boys had a fun time too.

Kaden got a cool Superman egg!! All of the kids got prize eggs so we had to go to the bowery to pick up their prizes.

Abbie liked her Shrek egg filled with candy.

The kids had to empty their eggs so the city can do this again next year. They loved that they were able to keep the candy.

Isaac collecting the empty eggs to put them back.

The kids LOVED the easter egg hunt. I love how Kaden has adopted my childhood easter basket and is being funny looking through the handle. Love you little buddy!!

Later that afternoon, aunt Maren came to see Brooklyn and to color easter eggs.

The kids were VERY into their designs.

This is one of my favorite traditions every year. I love that we get to be creative and spent time together as a family!! Love it!!

Abbie was mixing dye colors at the end to create new dye colors.

The kids were wanting more eggs to color but, I thought a dozen a peice was plenty...I guess you can never have too many deviled eggs...right? HA

Little miss creative, herself.

Brooklyn was there....just sleeping in her swing. She love her daddy!!

That evening before Reed and I went to bed we found a note to the Easter Bunny....

The next morning we found that the bunny had replied....."sorry, all out of spy nets....hopefully you will enjoy this wii game.  Easter Bunny"

The kids left carrots for the Easter Bunny....and the Easter Bunny enjoyed a few nibbles!

and a few presents were left by the Easter Bunny and Mom and Dad (Easter church clothes).

The kids getting to see what the Easter Bunny brought...now into those clothes for church...hop, hop...church is at 9 a.m.

Isaac opening his HUGE egg to get to his candy and spiderman watch.

Abbie showing off her nail polish...in green....her favorite color.

Kids opening their gift from Grandma and Grandpa Millett. Kites and a huge coloring book.

Kaden LOVES his spiderman watch and wears it EVERY day.

Now, that's better....out of pajamas and ready for church. Isaac was slow and getting his shoes on so, I didn't get a picture of him before church.

So handsome.

Pretty in Purple

After church I got Brooklyn in her purple dress so she could have pictures with the other kids in their purple Easter outfits.

Of course, I had the kids pose by the tulips...which are new this year since we planted them last fall.

Handsome Isaac

Isaac and Brooklyn

All four kids

Abbie and her favorite sister....baby Brooklyn.

Handsome Kaden

Kaden and Brooklyn

After church aunt Jennie, uncle john, cousin rian and gunnar came over to have Easter dinner and to do a little Easter egg hunt.

They hadn't colored their eggs yet so Abbie helped them create a few masterpeices.

Kids ready to HUNT SOME EGGS!!

Isaac was so fast he even ran right over a few eggs. Then gunnar would swoop in and get a few eggs.

Abbie would run from egg to egg.

Kaden was prepared for any doggie surprises with his boots. Too cute!

The kids counting their real eggs to make sure they got them all....we didn't want any surprises when we mowed the lawn next.

Just had to add a picture of my tulilps. I have wanted them for years and we finally planted bulbs last fall. Love them!!!

After we were done Easter egg hunting the kids had impromptu foot races. I love enjoying some warm weather and seeing the kids having so much fun being together and enjoying the simple things.