Playing with the Boys

"Lets ride the train" says Jaxon. This is usually how our adventures begin. He loves riding Trax, SLC's light rail, and since thers's a stop just minutes away from our home we hop on and head downtown.
So we decided to check out the new City Creek area to do some shopping and play in the fountains while we were there.

Turns out the center is really nice, a little too high end for my shopping likes budget! But it was fun!

 Playing with the water in the fountains

 Trying to catch the water

 Just chillin' and people watching!

We wandered over to temple square

 I really liked this picture of Ethan and I, despite how crooked it is....

 not bad for my 5 year old photographer

Father's Day 2012

One of the best parts for me as a parent is to see the joy in my children as they have learned to think of others and find the joy in giving and in being a family.

 

 The story behind it ....

We LOVE the Shrek movies and ever since Puss made the eyes, Mitch decides he needs a t-shirt with that on it. Well, for a couple years now the kids have been looking for a t-shirt w just that on the front of it and have been unseccessful. So we put our heads together and made one of our own for him.

The kids were so excited and Mitch was so happy, he finally has his Puss in Boots t-shirt. And the newest M.I. movie - another favorite series of his!

End of Preschool Program

   His introduction during the program, 'My name is Jaxon Brooks and I liked learning most bout dinosaurs in preschool.'

 They had lots of the cutest dancing and singing

Looking back over the year I can't believe just how much he grew and learned. There were no more tears in the morning at drop off time - just a slight chin quiver every once in a while towards the end of the year. He learned his letters, sounds, how to blend, numbers, counting, and of course lots of songs and so, so much more. He made friends, and the little girls just adored him, always with the hugs for Jaxon! So cute!

Just not the same without them

Springtime brings so many thoughts of my parents making it a little tough at times but also nice as I
remember all the times I had with them and the wonderful people they were. They both loved spring-time immensely, for different reasons.
My mom was a teacher and I think the warming weather and longer days reminded her that the school year was just about to let out for the summer. Not only did that bring her a break from her students but it also brought a slight break in her own childrens busy schedules. Now that I'm a mom, I can't imagine trying to keep up wih 4 very active children, that are all close in age, and three of them being boys, as she did.

My dad loved being outdoors. He would plant the biggest gardens ( as kids we didn't appreciate this) and take care of it and the yard and the pastures - 4 acres in all. He would later earn a 'master gardener' certification and started dabbling in grafting plants and was learning about honeybees in hopes of starting his own colony farm (not even sure what you'd call that). He'd spend cool summer nights (all night) irrigating the pastures, keeping them green for my horses and the calves he'd occasionally raise for beef. I remember he had the worst Hay Fever ever, yet that didn't even stop him from enjoying the outdoors.

Around my own yard, I have many flowers that I had gotten from my parents' house. Little did I know, at the time, how much they would mean to me. I have some of their Lily of the Valleys in my front yard, as was in theirs and the Irises that were so plentiful at their place now grow just as well here.

 Bleeding Hearts, Columbines, Jacob's Ladder, Tulips, Pansies, Creeping Myrtle and a beautiful Rose are just a few of the flowers that appear every spring and are beautiful reminders of two of the most wonderful people in my life.