You Can Find Me in St. Louis

My little world traveler and I headed off to St. Louis, MO on Wednesday to meet up with my parents who were there for a medical conference. Bradock is the best little traveler ever and we made so many new friends everywhere we went. People just kept commenting on what a beautiful and happy baby he was. They also couldn't believe that he was only 5 months old because he is so alert and fascinated with everything going on. In fact, one lady was walking by us one day and said "Oh what an adorable baby, can I have him?" While in St. Louis we stayed downtown overlooking Busch stadium (home of the St. Louis Cardinals). That's where Bradock picked up the little cardinal souvenir (what are Grandmas for?)They also bought Bradock this cute green dinosaur that he now loves to wrestle. We visited the St. Louis Temple (I was at the temple dedication about 11 years ago, so that was cool), the Gateway Arch, lots of downtown St. Louis and Six Flags. Right outside of our hotel was this really pretty park area. It was full of beautiful flowers and trees, something we don't see much here in AZ, and in the middle was this waterfall that spews out colored water. The day we took these pics it was red, but just yesterday it was pink. We thought it was so cool, we had to get a pic. We had so much fun and loved hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa all day. Thanks Mom and Dad for an awesome trip!!

Slumber Pary

My nephew, Grady, has been dying to spend the night at our house. Kiley keeps telling him someday, which he says he's really starting to hate someday. So, Friday night I decided he could stay over because his birthday party was going to be the next day and I could just drive him home in time for the party. We had so much fun. Well, Saturday morning came and for some odd reason I thought the party started at noon, so we would have plenty of time to go to the park and go swimming before we needed to leave. We had just gotten in the pool and had been playing around for about 10 minutes when Kiley calls. She was calling to ask how our night went and thank goodness she did because I asked her what time she wanted Grady home for his party and she said well it starts at ten...I about died. It was 9am and I needed to get two little boys and myself bathed, dressed and out the door in 30 minutes to drive all the way to Queen Creek. I don't know how we did it, but I think you are given some super powers when you become a mom because we made it just on time. I did however forget my camera, so no pics of his cute "Army" party. I hope he had a great 5th birthday and hopefully we can make the slumber party a monthly ritual. Oh, and the pic of Bradock in his bed is his new sleeping position. He rolls almost on his tummy, but just likes to sleep on his side. It doesn't look that comfy, but he seems to like it.

Talented or What?

Do you ever wonder why God gave some people so many talents and decided you just didn't need any. Well, when it comes to craftiness and creativity I definately got the short end of the stick. However, I did get lucky with people in my life who were blessed with so many unbelievable talents. My mother-in-law, Terri, is an interior designer (how lucky am I) and she is so creative. She has helped turn my house into a beautiful home. I am so grateful to her for taking the time to work her magic. I love pictures, especially of my family, so we decided to create a "Mi Familia" wall. These are just a few of the beginning pics that have gone up, but I'm excited to make it a full collage. My sister is also one who just overflows with great ideas and seems to turn anything she touches in to a masterpiece. As a side job she too decorates homes. She is especially good with a sewing machine. I have been wanting to start decorating Bradock's bathroom, but didn't know what I wanted to do exactly. I was at Target and Thomas O'Brien came out with a new line of towels (which are my favorite by the way) that were chocolate and blue. I bought them immediately and decided that was the colors I wanted to go with. Finding a shower curtain was the hard part. I looked everywhere until my sis finally said why don't you just make one (easy for her to say). She volunteered to help and off to Joanne's we went. Craft and fabric stores kind of give me an anxiety attack. There's just too many options and I don't even know where to begin. Sarah, however, lives at these stores and with a little bit of searching we found some cheap fabric in cute colors. She whipped up the shower curtain at home in just a few hours. I absolutely love it. Thanks Terri and Sarah for all your help.

Kicking a Bad Habit

For those of you who really know me can attest to my extremely bizarre gum fedish. You know those chain smokers that are smoking one cig after another. Well I am a chain gum chewer. I usually buy 3-4pks of gum every other day because that's how fast I go through them. I pop one piece right in after another. I don't know what it is, but I can't stop. My favorite flavors are the green, orange and pink packs of Trident. I start with a green piece, then orange and finish with pink before I start all over again. I hate when Brett wants a piece because it throws my whole order out of whack (weird and selfish, I know). Anyways, why am I blasting this on my blog...because by making it public I might stick with actually trying to quit. Do you know how much 3 pks of gum cost everytime I buy it...$4.19 to be exact. Multiply that buy a couple times a week and I've just spent good shopping money. I wish they had a patch or something. Anyways, starting this week (and once I finish the gum I already have) I am going to try and not buy anymore. We'll see how long I last.

Avery's Baby Blessing

Our Labor Day weekend was pretty low key (which I was thankful for). With work, Young Women's and everything else that life brings, I was excited to spend some time at home with my fam. That Sunday we did go to my niece's baby blessing. Avery is 3 months younger than Bradock and it's amazing what a difference just a couple months make. I can't even believe Bradock was ever that little. Avery looked adorable in her blessing outfit and it was fun to have dinner over at the Hall's house afterwards. We got some cute pics of the two little ones. I am especially glad that I finally took some pics of Bradock with his great grandparents, Jay and Fern Kocherhans. It is always so much fun to spend time with family.

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin

Tuesday night, Aug. 28th (I have to remember the date because this goes down in Bradock history) I was playing with Bradock in his room and rolled him on to his tummy. I got up and was getting some stuff out of his dresser when I turned around and he was lying on his back. For a second I thought to myself "I swear you were just on your tummy", so I rolled him back over on his tummy and just watched him for a second. Sure enough he wiggled himself right over to his back. I was so excited!! Isnt' it amazing how the simplest things mean the world to you? Bradock has almost got the whole rolling from his back to his tummy. It's kind of funny because he sticks his legs straight in th air and then starts scootin himself. Sometimes he doesn't get all the way over, but ends up turning himself in a full circle on the floor. I have to be careful now because the other day I went to check on him while he was napping and found him covered by his blanket and stuffed animal. I have to take those things out of his crib now that I know he can get to them. He is such a blankie boy that I don't think I can take that out. When I ly him down to bed I give him his blankie that he curls around his arm and snuggles to his face. It is the cutest thing.

Is It Worth It??

Is anyone as crazy as we are? About a month ago we decided we wanted to get pics of all the grandkids (now that we have two new editions), so we ventured off to the glamorous photographers at Target. Lets just say what we envisioned in our minds of the most perfect picture didn't exactly turn out that way. Try getting three toddlers and two babies to cooperate for just a few minutes was a quite the ordeal. Grandma came to the rescue with some marshmellows that calmed the older boys for a few seconds, but it ended up that we needed her in one of the pics because that was the only way Kasen would stop screaming. Grady and Carson were looking everywhere, but the camera, and the two little ones weren't sure what to think of all of it. I was sitting next to Carson trying to prop Bradock up and asked him to show me his teeth (in hopes of getting a smile out of him), instead he really showed me all of his teeth and the memory was captured. What a cutie!! We really thought the whole thing was a disaster, but after getting the pics back, and I know we're crazy, but we'd definately do it all over again...I think.