Stephens Family

More Tennessee FUN

2012-01-17T19:56:00.001-07:00

We got to enjoy a nice cold run with some of the family out by Jon & Lolo's house. It was beautiful and it felt so good to exercise during the holiday eating. I loved being able to run with Shauna and Pat.

My sweet family. I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband and two healthy children.

Brenn loved riding her bike and Jon & Lolo's house. I love the smile on her face! She was a dare devil. She was zooming up and down the long driveway. She has had a few falls and that has slowed her down a bit now. But, she is practicing a lot and trying to get better.

McKay loves dogs! Both of my children love dogs! This is Geoff & Kate's dog, Charley. McKay smothered him every chance he could. Charley was very nice to take all of the hugs and patting.

My brothers, Darren, Josh, and Jon deep frying a turkey for the Christmas dinner. I love my brothers!

My mom and dad are doing a service mission working for the cannery. They run the whole place! They work so hard all day long and come home whooped at night. We were lucky enough to go see what they do and they let Brenn help out.

There's my girl - full of craziness! She loved helping grandpa move the big cans of food from one place to the next. She was a big helper.

Brennley with Grandma & Grandpa Lifferth! My parents are so amazing! They have lived their entire lives serving others! They have consistently set a great example for me.

While we were in Tennessee, Shauna & Jeremy invited us to go to the Opryland Hotel and watch the free Shrek show. I didn't think much about it, but thought Brenn would have fun. It was soooooo FUN! Brenn and McKay both loved it.

McKay sat still through most of the show, it was only 30minutes, but that is a VERY long time for this busy boy to sit still.

Thanks Zurawskis! We had a blast!

We were also lucky enough to be in Tennessee when my nephew Jon had his Eagle Court of Honor. Way to go Jon! It was so nice to be there for that. This is a picture of the Eagle's nest. I am so proud of my handsome hubby for working hard as a young man to get his eagle scout!

Brenn and Landon! Cousin time! We really enjoyed seeing Brenn play with all of her fun, sweet cousins. It was hard to drive 15 hours away from all of that.

McKay hugging on Zoe some more.

My sis, Shauna. I love ya girl! I wish we could spend more days just like this!

This is where McKay learned to fly down the slide face first. Thanks Aunt Shauna! He started on this small slide and slowly worked his way up to our slide at home. Free-flying!

Clara and Brenn eating applesauce. These girls had a blast playing together!

Grandma snuggles! What us better than a snuggly-cuddly hug from Grandma?!?! I was thrilled that McKay enjoyed Grandma & Grandpa. Our last trip to Tennessee, McKay was not very friendly with anyone. He is getting better now and will let people hold him, other than mom.

One thing we love to do when we go to Nashville, is go and visit my mom's sisters and brothers if we have the time. This visit we were able to see Aunt Irene, Uncle Austin, Aunt Janie, and cousin Cindy. I love seeing my momma with her sisters. She is so cute.

My cousin Cindy, her kiddos, and cousins. Aunt Cindy owns a toy store and let us come and play. It was sooooo neat. The kids loved it, of course. I just wish we had more time to play there.

We went to my old elementary school's new playground with Brenn and McKay one afternoon. McKay got a little more brave here as well. He just giggles when he goes down the slide.

We went to McDonald's for dinner one night with the Zurawskis. It was a little colder than we thought, but we still enjoyed the outside playground. McKay kept trying to steal chicken nuggets from the big girls.

Brenn and Aunt Shauna.

Brenn wanted to take a nap in Grandma's bed.

Grandma kept asking Pat if he could clean the windows, so he did. I have a great hard-working husband!

Grandma wanted to take all the grandkids to the movies, so she invited all that could come to see Puss in Boots. The kids had so much fun, the only fight was over who could sit in Grandma's lap. Grandma had fun treats for everyone and Aunt Kate shared some good movie theater popcorn.

Brenn, Grandpa, and Clara. My daughter now has an obsession with crossing her eyes in pictures. She tries to do it every time and if I wait a little bit, sometimes I can catch her looking normal.

Parker, Landon, Clara, Brenn at the New Year's Eve party. Thanks Chris & Julie for inviting us over to visit one last time before we left.

The ONLY down side to having such a big family, is that it is so challenging to get enough time to visit with everyone. I wanted to sit and chat with all of my siblings and their spouses, my nieces and nephews and my mom and dad so much more. Thanks again Chris and Julie for a fun night.

Thanks everyone in Tennessee, we had so much fun!

A Tender Tennessee Christmas

2012-01-11T13:18:00.005-07:00

So, Pat had big plans this year for Christmas. He wanted to surprise my family and show up in Tennesse unannounced. In order to pull this off, we did not tell Brennley until this moment (in the picture) when we woke the kids up and put them in the car at 1am on December 23rd. Brennley was so confused when we put her in the car and kept asking what was going on and where we were going. When we told her Tennessee, she was still a little confused and thought we were going to California. It took her a while to wake up and understand everything. She was so excited to see her cousins and grandma & grandpa.

Brenn did great in the car. She had a blast playing, reading, coloring, and listening to music.

These were the best moments for McKay - sleeping. He is not a great traveler, but we all survived.

McKay with his cousin Zoe. I did not realize how much McKay loves babies, at least this particular baby. He would not stop hugging and kissing Zoe the whole time we were there. He would walk up to her, bend down and giggle then proceed to smother her with love. he has lots of love!

Brennley could have spent every moment running around playing with her sweet cousins in Tennessee. She had so much fun with all of them. THANK YOU!!!

We were so lucky to spend Christmas Eve doing the nativity program at Geoff & Kate's house. They were so kind to invite us to this spiritual event. Kate provides costumes and parts for everyone and we sing the beautiful songs about our Savior's birth. I loved it!

Brennley with Grandpa & Grandma Lifferth

My sweet sis, Shauna (playing Mary), cousin Will, cousin Julia, and beautiful Aunt Kate in the background.

I think Brenn looks a lot like her cousin Emma, who also provides 99% of her wardrobe through hand-me-downs. Thanks Emma!

Christmas Eve - what a blast! We had too much fun with Josh and Grandma wrapping presents and hanging out. The top hat Pat is wearing is Josh's - he is so stylin! He wore it to a formal dance. We love Uncle Josh and his flower scrubs! Haha!

Christmas morning! Ahhhhh!

Pure excitement!

Our sweetie pie! On Christmas Eve, Brenn and I went on the front porch at Grandma's house to see if we could see Santa's sleigh. And, guess what? WE SAW IT! It had landed on someone else's house only a few blocks away! Brennley got the most serious expression on her face and ran in the house to tell Josh, Grandma, Grandpa, Pat, and I that we needed to go to sleep right away! She ran right to her bed and went to sleep. It was so cute and hilarious!

Santa brought a new bike for Brenn!!

Grandpa Lifferth helping out.

McKay's front end loader! He loves this toy and he played with it for a long time Christmas morning!

Trying out the bike in Grandpa's driveway. With her special new dolly that Daddy surprised her with before we left for Tennessee.

I was so lucky this year. Pat made me a dry-erase board (he made the beautiful wood frame with two drawers at the bottom). I love it. We had so much fun being with family for Christmas. I can't wait to see family again. We love Texas, but sure do miss our families.

Pre-Christmas Fun

2012-01-06T12:48:00.001-07:00

I need to do some catching up here. We had so much fun preparing for Christmas. Here is Brennley writing her letter to Santa Claus. She asked for a bike, a car (which she reminded me that she asked for this last year also. She thinks that it might be too big to fit into Santa's bag.), a doll house, and toys for her babies. She put her letter into our "Santa's Letter" Ornament that Aunt Kelly & Uncle Matt gave us. And a few days later, the letter was gone!

Sweet McKay loves being outside, getting dirty, and making me worry. I thought it was bad worrying about ants biting him. Well, just yesterday, our 14month old boy learned how to climb to the top of our swingset. He climbs up and quickly goes face first down the slide, which is a fast slide and he goes flying off the end, face first into the grass. Crazy boy! He cries and then jumps up and does it all over again. Oh my!

We enjoyed Brennley's Joy School Christmas party. They did their nativity program. We are so proud of Brennley. She was so cute that night. She loves being with her school friends. She did a great job as the angel.

We got to see Santa at our church Christmas party. On the drive to the church, Brenn was so excited and talked all about Santa. So, we walk into the room with Santa and both of our children freaked out. McKay clung to me and Pat and Brenn wanted to hide in the back of the room.

We convinced Brenn that Santa was nice and he was giving out bags of candy, so she was able to stand next to him. Maybe next year will be easier.

My sweet hubby.....I volunteered him to help with the Christmas party and he was willing to share his talents. He sang a few songs and entertained the ward. He is so fun and I love hearing his beautiful voice.

Little Miss Brenn playing in some dough.

We were so lucky to have Dad home to go to story time at the library. He is so popular around here. We had so much fun with dad over the Christmas break....

December fun

2011-12-11T15:12:00.001-07:00

Cowboy McKay. Poor McKay has to play with all of Brennley's pink toys. Well, right now he doesn't care, so it is all good. Good thing Brenn is there to smoosh the cowboy hat on his head nice and tight. Thanks sis!

For Brennley's Joy School, they have been practicing the Nativity story and Brennley is the angel. They were able to perform at a home for Grandmas & Grandpas (an elderly home).

This is the whole group. They did a great job! They were all so brave and the people loved it. Afterwards some of the grandmas and grandpas wanted hugs and kisses from our adorable kiddos. It was really sweet.

McKay and Brenn loved playing behind the Christmas tree. They will bring toys back there or blankets and hang out together. The shiny thing behind McKay's head is a kitchen pot full of toys.

McKay laughing at Brenn. So cute! I love when they interact well. They have had a lot of good times together recently. He laughs at her and now likes to wrestle with her. It is so fun!

Our beautiful Brenn! If McKay gets a picture, so does she. She has tried to become a baby again. I carry McKay's toothbrush in my purse because he loves chewing on it. The other day, Brenn brought me her toothbrush and asked if I would put it in my purse so that she could play with it in the car like McKay does. She has been a trooper adjusting to having a sibling, it can be very tough sometimes.

This is the famous huge bear at our library. McKay recently discovered this bear. He was playing with the train table and saw the bear. He walked over slowly and snuggled the bear. From then on, he would go back to the bear every few minutes to hug him. My sweet baby boy.

Merry Christmas!!! Have a great month celebrating the birth of our Savior! I love the month of December, it always reminds me the purpose of life. It reminds me to be more service oriented and to think of others. We are so very blessed!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T18:23:00.001-07:00

We were so lucky to have Grandma & Grandpa Stephens here for Thanksgiving! Brennley and McKay had a blast playing with them. McKay spent hours playing with Grandpa outside and was thrilled. Of course, we had to make a few Costco runs while they were here.

We visited the Japanese Tea Gardens while they were here also. It was beautiful and we had perfect, warm weather. It was really nice being able to walk around in November with short sleeves on, Texas is great!

Grandpa, Dad, Brenn, and McKay enjoyed a little train ride by the park. I was so excited that McKay did not cry. He enjoyed the train ride. Yahoo! Brenn loved being outside and having so much attention.

Turkey Day!

We started the day with some CVS deals. It was so fun having Grandma to go with me to CVS. We scored big time! Then we all spent the morning preparing our feast, which Brennley kept calling the Roast Beast!

Thanks Grandma & Grandpa for all of your help. It was so nice having family around for the holiday. We are truly blessed. When we sat down for our Thanksgiving dinner, Pat asked everyone what they were thankful for. I was overwhelmed with so many thoughts, that I couldn't share them all. I am so thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I find so much joy knowing that I can return and live with my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ someday. I love knowing that they want us to be happy here on earth. I feel blessed everyday! I am thankful for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I love going to church each Sunday and feeling support knowing that there are many other people just like me, trying to follow Christ's example every day. I am so thankful for my sweet husband. He is so amazing. He is hard-working, talented, thoughtful, creative, and a great father! He does a great job taking care of our little family and making each of us feel special. I love seeing him walk in the door at night. McKay gets to the door as fast as he can and cries or giggles until Pat picks him up. Brennley starts talking a mile a minute. We demand so much from him and he constantly goes above and beyond. I am so thankful for Pat's job and that he is able to provide for us. Although his work is stressful and challenging, he doesn't complain. I don't know how he puts up with my whining. I feel so blessed to have two healthy children. They are full of love and they make me happy every day. I am learning so much as a mom. Brennley amazes me, she is so smart. She really tries to do good. McKay is always hugging and kissing us. He is so sweet and learning new things everyday. I am so thankful for all of our family, especially our parents and all they have taught us. We have so many people who care about us and support us. I love the friendships we have with them. I love my sisters so much. They are my best friends. I am so thankful to have them in my life. They are the sweetest people I know. I am thankful to have a comfortable home to live in and know that my children are safe. I am so thankful to have food and more thankful knowing that my children can eat three meals and day. I am so blessed. I am so thankful for all that I have and hope that I can show my gratitude to my Heavenly Father.

This is at the game room at Walmart. After we do our weekly grocery shopping, Brennley usually runs in here for 2minutes to play. We don't put any money in the machines, she just enjoys playing on them. Since Grandma & Grandpa were here, I had so much help and Grandpa let McKay play for the first time. He was so excited because he was able to play just like sister. Thanks Grandpa!

More Grandpa & Grandma attention!

Pat had volunteered to chaperon a youth dance while Grandma & Grandpa were here, so we got to go on a date dancing. It was a blast! We were suppose to be responsible adults, but we were having too much fun dancin'! Pat had so much fun hanging out with the young men he teaches.

Thanks Uncle Nick for getting the almonds for us and Grandma & Grandpa for hauling them out here.

Thanks again Grandma & Grandpa for making the trip out to see us.

McKay has changed so much this past week. He started walking!!! He got a lot of practice walking around the back yard with his big dump truck. Grandpa helped him get more confidence in walking. He is getting a little bit more independent. We went to the library on Saturday and he was walking around everywhere and climbed up into the chairs, just like a big boy. He was so happy having freedom and being more like big sister.

November Updates

2011-11-17T18:51:00.004-07:00

McKay enjoyed opening presents much more than the frightening birthday cake. He was thrilled with Aunt Shauna's race car toy. He loves all the noises it makes and watching the cars race in a circle. Thanks Shauna!

McKay loves dogs. He can sign dog and tries to say dog. Whenever he hears a dog or sees an animal that could possibly look like a dog, he gets so excited. So, he obviously loved this dog birthday card from Grandma Stephens. He also loved the fun birthday card from Grandma Lifferth. Thanks Grandmas & Grandpas.

We got some hand-me-downs from our sweet neighbor Janie. One was a doggy shirt and McKay loved it.

One of McKay's favorite part of the birthday celebrations was the balloons. He is still playing with these balloons. The funniest thing is when he squooishes the balloons in the corner and then lays his head down on them.

Brennley went on a Joy School field trip to the Fire Station. It was so fun. She loved it. I was thrilled because about a year ago, we saw a Fire Truck that they had open for kids to check out. She was so scared, she cried. So, we are improving.

McKay loved the fire station too. He did pretty good and seemed excited for the big trucks.

Fire Powa! This was awesome!

The kiddos all got coloring books, pencils, and pencil sharpeners. The book was all about fire safety. So, we decided that Brenn could help with our Family Night, by teaching us about fire safety. So, Brenn taught us all kinds of fun stuff, like stop, drop, and roll. After the whole book, we talked about our family fire plan. We decided to have a practice fire drill. We pretended we were sleeping, aka, we put the kids in bed and Pat turned off the lights, which made me blind. Then Pat turned into Dwight and turned the smoke alarm on. The kids started screaming, I couldn't see anything and Pat kept saying, "This is a good way to practice!" Anyways, we laughed about it later.

Our neighbor knows about Pat's amazing word-working skills. So, she hired him to make a manger for her 3feet nativity pieces. He loved it. So, when he wasn't working at CDM, he came home and worked in the garage with us. He is so talented.

Look how beautiful this is! Can you believe this?

My husband is so thorough. He made this so beautiful! Our neighbor was amazed.

McKay playing in the backyard.

This is McKay's cute face. I love it. He does it sometimes when he gets shy. This time, I turned on some music and asked if he wanted to dance, and he started tilting his head and smiling. He is so sweet! I love all of his snuggles!

McKay is 1!

2011-11-03T14:07:00.008-06:00

Today is your very first birthday McKay! Here are pictures from your special day!

You moved into sisters old car seat today! I had to adjust the straps, but you fit it perfect.

We went to the park with sister for a little bit. Then, we went to story time at the library.

Then, daddy came home and we started the party.

Oh, McKay. I do not know why, but you were quite upset that we put you in your high chair and gave you a birthday cake. You cried and cried until we took you out and cleaned you up. Sorry you did not want birthday cake. You were so sad that we did not open presents either. We will save that for another night.

Oh my sweet, snuggly, hugs and kisses McKay! Happy Birthday! I am so happy that you are a part of our family. I was so anxious for you to be born. Dad and I were thinking about the night you were born, it happened so fast. Grandma Lifferth knew you were on your way, so she jumped on a plane and flew to Texas. She got here just in time for Dad and I to go to the hospital. Three hours later, you were born 10:40pm.

Your sister was so excited for you to be born. When she first met you, she said, "Can I hold him now?" She had waited nine months to meet you and couldn't wait to hold you. She is a great big sister and loves you so much.

The best thing about you is how snuggly you are with me. At nap time or bedtime, the minute I walk into your room and start singing, you lay your head on my shoulder and snuggly. You start playing with my hair or patting my back. You are just now starting to sleep through the night. When you did wake up in the night, it was always very tender. You loved being held or rocked. Some nights you would wake up whenever I put you in your crib. I think you need lots of love and snuggling.

Dad has helped a lot when we have had challenges. For a while you were waking up at night quite frequently. When I wake up at night, I am so out of it, I never think clearly. So, one night, Dad got up and heard your tummy growling. You were so hungry. You have a big appetite, but it is not consistent. Sometimes, you can't sit in your high chair long enough to eat. You get fussy or just want to move around. Dad also encouraged me to let you explore our backyard. You love it!

You are growing and changing so much. You say Mmmmm when you want to eat something. We were at Costco and when you saw the samples, you said Mmmm. You like to nod your head. Sometimes, you will have a whole conversation with someone by nodding yes to all the questions. It is pretty cute. You are learning lots of signs now. You can sign milk and use this sign a lot. Sometimes you sign milk for bird or when you want something or to say all done. You can also sign dog, eat, sleep, and water.

You can say mamamama, Dad, Ba (for Brenn), and ah da for airplane. You try to say Amen and said it very well once or twice. You like to dance. You have started banging your head. You will bump it on the wall, the floor, and other people.

You really like playing with your hair, Brenn's hair, mom's hair, and dad's hair.

You like doing flashcards with mom. You love attention, especially if mom or dad sit down one on one with you. You will crawl all over us and give us hugs and kisses.

You started taking a few steps this past month. You first step was at Dad's work. You get very nervous when you realize you are standing up without help. But, you are getting better and practicing a lot. I love you McKay and I am so happy that you are part of our family!

Happy 4th Birthday Brennley!

2011-11-02T20:33:00.003-06:00

Happy Birthday my sweetie pie! I am continually amazed by you. You are so sweet and aware of my feelings. If I am ever sad or disappointed in you, you will try to make me smile or laugh. You really try hard to make good choices. I love you so much and I have loved spending the past four years with you. Thank you for teaching me so much.

You are getting so beautiful. You love to look and feel pretty. You really enjoy picking out your clothes and especially love wearing dresses and skirts. You also love all of your shoes. Whenever mom lets you, you wear lip gloss and smile very dainty like. You love to paint nails and when you do, you pick out lots of different colors.

On Brenn's birthday, she opened a present from our neighbor, Janie. It was some "new" clothes (hand-me-downs). Brenn put on this purple shirt and was so excited. She asked for waffles and got to use our new sifter to add some powder sugar on top.

We usually go for a run in the morning. McKay and Brenn ride in the stroller. Brennley has been asking to feed this horse down the road from us for a while now. So, I snuck some carrots in the stroller and surprised Brenn for her birthday. She was so excited!

For Joy School, Brennley took cupcakes to share with her friends. She really enjoys Joy School.

After Joy School, we went to Costco and Daddy surprised us there for lunch! Brennley was thrilled. It is always a treat to see Dad during the day. McKay couldn't believe it either. We walked around Costco and then had a piece of pizza. Then, we went home for naps. After naps, when Dad got home, Brenn opened her presents. Thanks Grandma Stephens for the cute pjs. Thanks Grandma Lifferth for the new pants. Thanks Aunt Shauna for the stamp set. Brenn has worn all the new clothes and played with the stamps. Thanks for making this a special birthday!

At lunch, Brennley asked Dad if he would make his grilled chicken, just like he does. Oh how she loves her daddy! She also asked for mashed potatoes and corn. So, we made her favorite meal for her and had cake and ice cream. She asked for a strawberry cake with a rainbow on top. It is cute seeing her know what she wants now. After dinner I told Brenn we could either watch a movie or go for a bike ride. She chose to go for a bike ride. She loves being outside and being active. She pedaled as fast as she could. We stayed out until it got dark and then headed home for bedtime. It was such a fun day.

Brennley I love you so much! I love watching you grow up. You are so fun to be with. You are getting so helpful, especially in the kitchen. You love to cook with mom and you do a great job too. You always help with McKay and wish he would sit in your lap more. Happy birthday sweetie!

Happy Halloween

2011-11-01T19:31:00.006-06:00

We have had so much fun with all of the Halloween festivities. The best thing about the past weekend was how much time we all spent together, relaxing. Almost every weekend is so busy and Pat usually has a project to do. He decided this past weekend, to take a break. I was thrilled! We had a fun breakfast Saturday morning and Pat helped a family move with Brennley. Then, we hung out at home, had a BBQ with some friends, and watched the Blue Angel's air show from our back yard. It was sooooo nice!

Pat climbed up the swing set to watch the air planes with the kiddos.

So, McKay will be one tomorrow!! I usually take him upstairs with me when I shower. I was not sure how well it would go leaving him unsupervised with Brennley. Well, I decided this week to let my baby grow up a little bit. I left him downstairs and took a super quick shower. I also had the monitor on and could hear if there were any loud noises. I came downstairs, Brenn was watching a movie and here is McKay, standing on top of the kids table! He was so proud of himself, "Look how high I climbed!" I know he is a boy and he will learn, I just need to adjust to my baby turning into a toddler.

Another fun part of the Halloween parties was the Fall Festival at the YMCA. It was a week ago, so the pics are out of order. Brennley was able to wear her costume a ton this year. Thanks Aunt Kelly for the awesome costume.

Brennley was Scooby-Doo and McKay was Shaggy.

We tried putting some scruff on McKay's chin, but it tickled him so much, he squirmed a lot.

McKay enjoying his very first Halloween candy from the Ward Trunk or Treat. It was nice and cold that night, so us Texans had to get home quick!

So, we were all suppose to be Scooby-Doo characters this year. Pat was Fred, I was Velma (I could not find a red skirt or any pleated skirt - but I did try, I will work harder next year), and then Scooby-Doo and Shaggy.

I love this! I turned on Baby Signing Time for McKay. Brenn always wants him to sit in her lap, but he is a little wiggly for that. So, she sat behind him and snuggled him so sweetly.

This was Halloween! Brenn wore a ballerina costume during the day.

Cleaning out the pumpkin. McKay jumped right in to that gooey mess. He loved it! He wanted to eat the seeds and the pumpkin chunks.

Going trick-or-treating. Brennley had a blast this year. When we were walking around, everyone loved her costume. Brennley said, "I knew I picked a good costume!" So cute! One house had a scary noise when you came close to the door and it really startled Brenn. She came walking back towards us shaking her head. Then, the lady came to the door with a bright green witch face! McKay was frightened by Dad's wig and a few other random costumes, like a pretty princess. He loved all of the candy and enjoyed being with sister.

Brennley scored big time this year! She really got into this year and loved going trick-or-treating with Dad for a long time. She came in to get a drink and Dad peeked his head in and asked if she was all done or wanted to go to a few more houses and she jumped up and said, "A few more houses!"

Fun with Kelly & Berry

2011-10-18T13:01:00.013-06:00

We had so much fun with Aunt Kelly and cousin Berry!! They got here on Friday and Saturday morning we headed down to spend the day at the beach. Enjoy lots of pictures!!

The girls played all day and loved it.

Aunt Kelly is so sweet! She brought a wiggle car for Brenn & McKay. Thanks Ward family! Brenn loves the wiggle car. McKay enjoyes pushing it around the house.

It was so fun having all of the Stephens siblings together. They are so fun to have around. We didn't have to do anything, just being together was awesome. We laughed a ton.

These sweet girls had a fun time riding to the beach and back. They did a great job.

We made a trip to the Alamo with the clan.

One of the highlights of the trip for me was our trip to Cheddars. I love this restaurant. It is so fun! The prices are great, the portions are huge, and we learned that night that everything is made from scratch. Delicious.

A trip to the park. Berry was so sweet. She wanted to hold McKay down the slide over and over again. She was so cute with McKay during her whole trip. She wanted to play with him and loved sharing toys.

My sweetie pie!

Loving the swings!

Brenn and Berry would spend hours coloring, cutting, and gluing at this table.

Today I asked Brennley what her favorite thing to do is and she said, "Play with dad!" She loves him so much! She always wants his attention and is thrilled when she gets one on one time with him.

Who has two thumbs and loves these guys? THIS GUY!

Fun at the Riverwalk!

The girls before church. Brennley saw what Berry was wearing and wanted to match. This was as close as she could get, they both have stripes.

Story time with Uncle Pat. This is one of our favorite library books - Cowboy Jose!! It is hilarious, especially when Pat reads it in a silly Spanish accent.

Aunt Kelly also brought this fun Sesame Street book. We love books! Thanks again Ward family!

Enjoying the new wiggle car.

Another highlight of Berry's visit was our trip to the Zoo. It was so fun. I forgot how fun it really is to go to the Zoo - even for adults.

Petting the goats.

Our beautiful girls!

The hippos were awesome! They were right by the window and Brenn started singing, "I like 'em big, I like 'em chunky!"

This was Brenn's real reaction to seeing the bears. I love it! She was so excited through the whole visit.

This was McKay's very first visit to the zoo. He did pretty good. He really enjoyed the ducks, some of the other animals scared him a bit. I think his favorite part was a little play room we found at the end. He loves being able to crawl around and have freedom.

And, a little video of our visit to the park.

September was SOOO FUN!

2011-10-18T12:56:00.004-06:00

We loved having Unlce Nick here! It was really a blast! He was more help for me than anything. I didn't realize how much I really needed his help. He is amazing. He was so fun to have around. We laughed, watched movies, and everyone called him Dad - sorry Nick. But, it really was nice having another adult to hang out with. I felt bad that he did so much for us while he was here. I wish we could have done more things for him.

Here is the last day that Nick, aka the "Mad Scientist" was here for Joy School. He did all of his experiments from the previous days and ended with a huge finale. The kids were all involved and loved it!

McKay warmed up to Nick pretty fast. He played his first game of "catch" with Uncle Nick. They rolled/bounced the ball back and forth on the table. McKay loved it. And he picked it up pretty fast!

McKay's silly face!

McKay and Uncle Nick sportin' the polos. So handsome!

This is a video of the ball passing going on. Thanks Uncle Nick for such a fun visit! Can't wait for your next visit to Texas!

Updates

2011-10-04T21:36:00.006-06:00

Our little McKay bear.....When he feeds himself, it gets crazy! It usually gets in his eyes and nose. If we are lucky, he will start smashing it into his hair. But, he sure looks cute doing it.

We are so lucky to have Uncle Nick here. Brennley has smothered him everyday. She wants him to do everything with her. In the morning, she can't wait for him to wake up. She begs for him to read her books, push her on the swing, go for walks, and sit in the back seat by her. We love having Uncle Nick here!

McKay is getting so fast. He loves his push toys, but if he isn't near one, he will push anything he is strong enough to push.

The best time.....DADDY TIME! Brenn and McKay love getting Dad's attention.

Brenn has been really snuggly recently and we love it. Anytime she can get dad's full attention, she is in heaven. She is really growing up. I know she is 3years old, and has good days and bad days. But, I am amazed at what she has learned and is aware of.

Brother love. It is so fun having Nick here - he makes us laugh soooo much.

I have been teaching Brenn's Joy School class the past 2weeks. It has been really fun. I love seeing Brenn interact with her friends and see how smart she is. Of course I am biased - but she is so smart.

We had fun painting with shaving cream - hilarious!

We are so blessed! Look at these adorable children!

So, I asked the kids at Joy School what their favorite part of school is and they said - Uncle Nick - a.k.a. MAD SCIENTIST. Nick is doing a science experiment with each lesson and the kids are loving it. This was his experiment today and the kids loved it.

We loved watching General Conference this weekend. It is always strengthening to hear the testimonies of the Prophet and Apostles. I always love conference, but this time it touched me in a different way. I am a ward missionary right now and I feel like I am more aware of the investigators view on the church. It was nice to hear so many testimonies echoing my own testimony. I feel like there is a great army for the Lord and I am on His side with so many strong men and women who want to fight for the right!

McKay

2011-09-14T20:29:00.004-06:00

McKay is 10 1/2 months and makes us laugh every day. He is extremely active and is finding new things to get into every day. Sorry McKay, for the pink princess car that you are sitting on.

McKay is so active, he has a hard time sitting in his high chair long enough to eat. He has started twisting and turning to get out of his high chair. But, if he doesn't eat, he is hungry right after dinner.

He loves playing with Brennley. She saw him sitting inside the cabinet and wanted to jump in too.

He has learned how to push Brenn on the princess car. They both love it. Brenn puts her feet up and lets McKay push as best he can.

He was so proud of himself for getting to this position. He knows not to play with gate, so he knew he was getting into trouble - that is why he has the big grin on his face.

So, I am getting to know McKay better everyday. When I shower, I let McKay play in the bathroom. Each day, he finds something else to explore. One day he started pulling the toilet paper and I tried to stop him, but he giggled and kept on going. Then, he started pulling the shower curtain back. He would pull the liner so much that it would come out of the shower and he would get soaked. I would have to stick the liner to the shower, so that he could not pull it out. One day, I did this and McKay started crying, not a whimper - he was screaming. I tried calming him down, but nothing helped. I showered quickly while he screamed and screamed. When I opened the shower curtain, through his red face and cries, he smiled really big and put his face down. I couldn't believe it. I thought he was hurt or tired or hungry, but he was just trying to get my attention. Little stinker!

Labor Day

2011-09-07T13:52:00.010-06:00

McKay and Brennley are really enjoying playing together. Brenn loves to push McKay in his swing and swing together while mom or dad pushes them. She is a really good big sister.

Brennley also loves to help McKay climb the stairs. Originally this was my job - to climb up behind McKay to make sure he doesn't fall back and when he turns to look back, I would give him a kiss. Now Brenn loves to do this. And, it is McKay's favorite thing to climb the stairs, so it is a perfect combination.

For Labor Day weekend, we were so lucky to go to Louisiana to see Darren & Sarah. It was a blast! The drive wasn't too bad until we were about 20min from their house and it took us an hour and a half! The rain started and so there were a few accidents.

It is always so much fun with Darren & Sarah. They have four beautiful, sweet, fun girls. Brennley loved every second of dressing up, dancing, playing, reading, and playing in the pretend kitchen.

Aren't these babies soooooo cute?!?! McKay is 10months, Zoe and Sydney are 7months. It was so fun to snuggle and play with these sweet babies. We had a little baby crawling contest with these three. McKay and Sydney tied, but.....McKay was disqualified for hitting Sydney. Sydney was disqualified because Abby pulled her across the finish line. So, Zoe won by elimination.

Pat did a little meditating on top of the pretend kitchen.

Darren and I had a handstand competition. I guess we are a competitive family. Darren won, I laughed myself down to the ground.

Man, I love my husband. He always makes me laugh and he is not afraid to jump in and help out. Saturday morning, he got a beautiful breakfast started with Sarah. And he helped with the clean up too.

It was so fun to see the Zurawskis. This little Clara is sooooo sweet! She is full of love. She would come up to the babies and snuggle them and tell them over and over, "I love you."

We enjoyed dancing on the Wii games. It was so fun and of course there were some dance competitions. Sarah kicked everyone's trash!

Canoeing down the BAYOU! This was a little freaky but awesome. Pat really wanted to go do this and I was a little nervous because of two things. I didn't know how McKay was going to do in the canoe and ALLIGATORS!! We have been watching Swamp People and this looked just like the places they hunt gators. We didn't see any, but we were looking for them. We saw frogs, one jumped on my and one jumped on McKay's head. Brenn loved it.

One of favorite things to do in New Orleans is visit Cafe Du Monde. They are the famous beignet makers. Mmmmmm... tasty.

Delicious!

Little Miss Brenn loves glasses. She found this on Saturday and wore them around. Aunt Sarah bought some play glasses for all the girls to keep. Brenn's are really cute and she has been wearing them since we left. She looks very intelligent in them.

Joy School

2011-08-30T12:32:00.004-06:00

Brennley started JOY SCHOOL today! It was very exciting. I asked Brennley what she was most excited about and she said, "Learning". She picked out lots of different first day outfits, and finally stuck with this one. When she got this shirt from her cousin Emma, she immediately said it was a school shirt.

Brenn got ready quickly this morning and actually brought me the brush to do her hair.

This was the look as Brennley went in to Joy School. That was how I felt, and this was the only time she showed this expression. She was brave and excited!

This is the Joy School House that Pat made. Isn't it beautiful! For the first day, Brennley was suppose to bring something for a show and tell. She wanted to bring pictures from our trip to Fall Creek Falls (TN). She picked out a picture of her and Mikaela, her and Ellie, a picture of all of her cousins with Grandma and Grandpa Lifferth, and our family picture. She wanted to tell her Joy School friends all about her trip.

We took a little trip to Fredricksburg one Saturday morning. It was fun to walk around main street and check out the shops.

Afterwards, we went to a park and had a picnic. It was a relaxing Saturday morning as a family.

Here is our handsome almost 10month old. He loves the stairs now. He races towards them if I have the gate down. He will giggle most of the way up and has to look back every few stairs to make sure I am following him. He will push his cheek against mine and wait for a kiss. He is a sweetie. He is working on getting one of his top teeth right now.

Photo Shoot

2011-08-17T13:31:00.003-06:00

These are some of McKay's 9month pictures. Isn't he adorable! He started off happy, but the camera and the flash started to scare him. I am so use to Brenn, who always loves getting her picture taken, even at this age. But, he got some cute pictures anyways, I love my little McKay.

Of course Brenn had to get a few fun pictures too. She loves it. She is our little princess!

Such a big boy now!

These two are pretty cute together. She constantly wants to hold, hug, kiss, smother, etc McKay. And McKay loves to watch Brenn and laugh at everything she does.

I know this is a sad face, but how cute?!?! The pouty lip and all.

Family Fun

2011-08-15T12:27:00.005-06:00

After dinner on Friday night, Pat mentioned that it was 50cent night at the horse races. We really only had to pay for parking and all of the concessions are 50cents. Pretty fun stuff! So, we drove over and enjoyed a few of the races.

It was really exciting when the horses came running through. We stood as close as we could to the race track. Brenn loved watching the horses.

Crazy girl! :)

I think Pat is running for Super Dad of the Year!!!

McKay's new talent: climbing the stairs! YAHOO! Another worry for mom. Brenn and I ran upstairs one day to grab our clothes and we came down to this. So, I guess it is time to teach McKay how to go down the stairs. I was watching him climb up the bottom two on Sunday night and I went to answer the door and came back to find him coming down head first. He was moving really slow and was in a headstand position and then toppled over.

Eatin' tacos.

Brenn and McKay are playing more and more together and I love it. But, it does mean there are a few more tears also. For the most part, they do well together. Brenn wants to pick him up and over-snuggle McKay sometimes.

Our crazy sleeper. Tonight he fell asleep with his head tilted back and his face smooshed against the side of the playpin.

McKay's new toy box - the kitchen cabinets. He loves moving from one cabinet to the next and pulling everything out.

McKay is 9months

2011-08-04T13:55:00.009-06:00

McKay is 9months old and loves moving around the house. He is 20lbs 8oz (51%) and 28.5in (60%). He can now pull himself up and "cruise" around the house. He is constantly pulling himself up, moving around and then he does not know how to sit down. So, he will make a nervous cry until someone helps him sit down or picks him up. He loves being held.

He is a wild sleeper. He will fight sleep for the longest time on certain occasions, then other times, he will fall asleep in my arms in the pool. Those are my favorite moments. He has a rough time sleeping through the night and it makes me a crazy woman, but I love getting to snuggle him in the quiet of the night. I love when he snuggles on my shoulder and falls asleep.

Everything is in the mouth right now. Constant drool and biting. After he finished his dinner the other night, I cleaned him up and let him crawl around for a little bit. He went under the kitchen table then pulled up on my leg and bit right into my leg! OUCH! Those two tiny baby teeth are dangerous.

Chewing on a carrot.

McKay's favorite sleep position. I love this. So cute! McKay is getting a little "shy" now. If someone makes him giggle, he might turn his head into me a little bit. Or if he gets nervous, he will hide his face.

McKay had his 3rd haircut, but this was the first time dad used the trimmers. McKay LOVES Dad. He says Da Da a lot. When Dad comes home, he just grins and giggles.

After his haircut...on the move.

Our handsome little man.

More fun with Grammy

2011-08-01T11:50:00.007-06:00

We loved having Grammy Stephens come and visit. We were able to do a lot of fun activities. We went to a free Jazz show on a Friday night. Brenn liked the music and started dancing. A photographer came and asked he could take a picture of Brenn dancing, but she was too shy.

Enjoyin' the music.

So, I almost deleted this picture, but I think it sums up our current phase of life - crazy! It is a blast having young children, you never know what to expect or the crazy things you have to remind your children to do or not to do. Nothing is predictable. It keeps us on our toes for sure!

After the sweaty hot Jazz show, Dad surprised us and took us to get milkshakes. SOOOOOO Tasty!

Grammy caught us all getting ready for church on Sunday morning. These are her pictures. Of course, Pat put his best face forward for the camera.

Lil' McKay

It is nice to have pictures of me with my children. Thanks Grammy!

Brenn begged Grammy to ride in the backseat everyday. So, on our drive down to the beach, Grammy rode in the back with the children. It was quite an exciting drive. McKay needed a lot of attention, so of course wanted more and more attention as well. They kept Grammy really busy.

My boy! This is our little sun tent for the beach. It has come in really handy for McKay. He loves napping on the beach.

Boy time.

This was on the ride home. Brenn had McKay cracking up. He loves his big sister.

This was after the beach, dad set up the tent to air it out and Brenn went to town. She brought out her "babies", books, and had a little party.

Daddy time. When dad gets home, he gets a stampede. Both kids beg for dad's attention. They love dad. McKay is now saying "Da...Da" He knows who Dad is and when dad gets home, he is crawling towards him. Both Brenn and McKay love a little play time with daddy.

Since McKay has learned to stand up, he wants to do it everywhere. The only problem is that he will pull himself up and not know how to get down. So, he yells for someone to help him get down to move around.

Thanks Grammy for a fun visit. We loved all the time we got to spend with you and can't wait for another visit!

GRANDMA

2011-07-18T19:34:00.006-06:00

We are so lucky to have Grandma Stephens visiting from California. Brennley and McKay love all the love and attention from Grammy.

Brennley has been especially lucky because Grammy made her three new dresses.

When I showed Brenn this picture, she said she looked like a beautiful princess in her new dress. She has been in heaven. Grammy made a new dress each day for three days. So, each morning, Brenn tried on and danced in a new dress. That is a dream come true for her. She is so into her clothes right now. She wants to wear dresses or skirts everyday and she changes outfits multiple times throughout the day.

Our beautiful three year old. Oh, she is a cutie pie!

Daddy time in the pool. McKay loves his daddy. We stopped by his work the other day and McKay laughed out loud and leaned for daddy to hold him. I love it! This morning when Pat left for work, McKay scooted toward the garage door and said, "Da". McKay likes to point right now too, so he pointed and touched the door also.

BREAKING NEWS!!!

McKay has learned how to pull himself into a standing position! I was not ready for or expecting this at all. On July 13th, he was by the stairs and pulled himself up, with the help of Brennley's princess shoe box and stood. WOW! So, now this is his challenge. Anything he sees, he wants to pull up on to see what is on top or above.

So, along with this new excitement has come lots of boo-boos. He has a face full of bumps and bruises now. But it does not stop him from trying to stand up again. He pulled up on the side of the tub while I was showering and fell completely down to the ground with a bang. He screamed and a few minutes later, wanted to stand up again. Today he fell right into the leg of a table and now has a line down his face. Poor fella.

Helping Grammy organize our messy toy box. Thanks Grammy.

It is so much fun having Grammy here. She is so helpful with dishes and cleaning and we love having her here!

This is the twirly skirt the Easter Bunny brought Brenn. We finally got a shirt to go with it. My little princess!

4th of July

2011-07-11T13:29:00.003-06:00

HAPPY 4th of JULY!! We had a great holiday! McKay is 8months old now and very exciting! He is scooting a lot. He is babbling and loves to eat and spend time with Brenn and Dad.

We started the day with a breakfast at the church. Brenn was thrilled to play with some of her friends.

It was so nice having Pat home all weekend long. He can get so much done in a 3day weekend. And of course Brennley loves having Dad home to play.

After the breakfast, we went to a small town parade. We love it! Brenn had a blast with her friend too.

After the parade we went to a friend's house for a bbq and a little swimming for Brenn. Then, we came home for a little bit and headed out to another bbq and swim. We were whooped!

Dad and Brenn harvesting the carrots from the garden.

We decided to dress up like cows to get a free dinner at Chik-fil-a. We had planned on going and then Pat had to work late, so I changed my mind. Then, Brenn wanted to dress up, so we did. It was pretty fun. McKay was not very excited about the situation, but he earned a free sandwich for dad, so it was worth it!

My sweetie pies! Oh these two children are wonderful! I am learning more each day and I hope I am getting stronger and more patient. Brennley is a great big sister. She loved to help and be involved with whatever McKay is doing. She even loves seeing his poopy diapers.

The Beach

2011-06-29T18:39:00.005-06:00

We were so lucky to make a trip to the beach with a few other families that we go to church with. We all drove down together and had a blast spending the day in the sun, sand, and water. The trip went really well.

I think Pat had the most fun. He got a $10 boogie board from HEB and played the majority of the day in the water. He was like a little kid that day, it was cute. I realized that he has very little time for himself, so I was thrilled that he had so much fun and was able to play and relax.

McKay making use of our "half-tent". This was a great purchase. It is a perfect size for us and great for napping, nursing, changing, eating, or storing our stuff. McKay took a great nap in there. It was nice and breezy too.

I thought McKay would want to roll around in the sand, but this is the face he gave me when I sat him down to play. "Seriously, mom?" I love the tummy hanging out of his shirt too. He is really a momma's boy, for the most part. I love it! It can be tiring, but I love all of his love!

Boys will be boys! My husband loves to be buried in the sand...every trip...he is a goof. So, he saw this picture somewhere and had to duplicate it with his friend.

The kids enjoyed throwing sand on top of him and Brenn loved walking on top of daddy. We loved spending the day together and with friends, it was so much fun. Brennley had a blast! It was funny, when we got there, she was scared of the water. She would barely put her toes in it. Pat wanted her to be brave and play with all of the other kids. It took her the entire day to finally get playing in the water. She would slowly go out farther and farther. Everyone in our group was trying to get her more comfortable out there. Finally, she was playing with the other 3year olds and was loving it. I knew she could do it!

Fun Around the House

2011-06-29T18:10:00.004-06:00

Aren't they adorable?!?!?! This was a picture of the kids right before church. Brennley is growing up and McKay is so handsome! My sweeties.

Here is the current update on Brennley: She is a princess. When she wakes up, the first thing she does is get her princess shoes on. I mean, right when she wakes up. She comes down the stairs and finds her headband with a flower on it and puts it in her crazy hair. I try to tell her she is a beautiful princess, but she quickly tells me that she is not done yet. She runs to her chapstick and lip gloss and puts them on (the lip gloss has been empty for months, but she doesn't seem to know). Then, she makes a cheesy grin and tilts her head to the side and says, "Your majesty", while doing a curtsy. She is precious!

McKay is on the move. He is a wiggle worm. This is his push-up position, which is how he starts moving. You can tell his momma has a degree in Physical Education - check out that form!! J/K. The second McKay is done nursing, he pretty much rolls off my lap and is ready to scoot. Unless he is exhausted. He is quick to find Brennley or daddy and get to them as soon as he can.

He is getting the "attention" of his big sister. She loves to play with him, and dress him up. She has tried to put clips in his hair and I try to protect him as much as I can. This was her doing.

We want Brennley and McKay to share a room, but it is not going so well. Either they play instead of going to sleep (which, I love hearing them giggle together), or one is crying or noisy and it keeps the other from sleeping. This one night, I was reading books in Brenn's bed and McKay kept peeking over the bumper in his crib to find us. It was really cute seeing his little head pop up and his eyes peeking out. Then, he would giggle. As of now, McKay is back in the guest bedroom until we can figure out how to keep Brennley from staying by the side of his crib playing peek-a-boo.

McKay's two bottom teeth.

Here is a video of McKay moving.

We are teaching Brennley the Latter-Day Prophets by the song and by their picture. She was practicing the other night and McKay would crack up whenever she hit the picture and said the name. It was pretty cute.

Fall Creek Falls

2011-06-19T19:32:00.010-06:00

We were so lucky to be able to go to Tennessee for my family reunion! It was awesome! It was a much longer drive than I thought it would be, but it was worth it for sure! We drove to Memphis on Saturday and saw Pat's friend Brent. We stayed with him and his wife - they were so kind to feed us, let us swim, and sleep at their place. Thanks! Then, we drove to Nashville in the morning.

The night before we left Pat thought Brenn needed a desk of some sort so that she could color, write, play games, and eat on. So, of course at 10:30pm the night before we left (we left at 4am), he got to work in the garage. He cut some wood, attached all the pieces that he luckily had lying around, and sanded it down. It has a nice edge, so that her pencils don't fall off. It has two knobs at the top. And, my favorite part... it is collapsible. He put hinges on it, so that the legs fold down when she is not using it. It was perfect for the car. She drew in her "school books" for hours because of this awesome desk! Way to go Pat!

First matter of business for Brenn - KAELA! We got to TN and went straight to church and saw lots of family! Brenn was most concerned with seeing Kaela - her best friend, her "sister". we love Kaela. She is so sweet and kind with Brenn.

MY SISTAS!!! Oh I love these girlas so much! It was so nice to visit and chat with my girls. I just wish we lived closer and could visit more often.

At the falls.

The in-laws.

Ya-Ya and McKay. Poor Mckay was pretty fussy. He didn't want anyone to hold him, except for mom or dad. Which flatters me, but makes it tough sometimes.

Pat in the falls.

All the men!

My strong man.

Brenn and Ellie.

My boys.

Hiking at the falls. Brenn did a great job hiking. This was a pretty tough hike for a 3year old. It was rocky and slippery. She was holding Pat's hand and he could tell she was getting nervous. Then all of a sudden, she started to cry. She was too nervous. So, Aunt Sarah held her for a little bit, then she was ok. Thanks Aunt Sarah. Brenn hiked the whole way out and did great!

Grandma, Ya-Ya, and the babies. Sydney, Zoe, and McKay. McKay is 7months, and the girls are 4months. Sweet babies. Brenn is still talking about baby Sydney and baby Zoe and how they are soooooo cute!

Uncle Josh and Dad.

Some of the cousins. Somehow, they got a little song in their head which went like this, "Dave likes to wear...dirty underwear." So they sang it over and over and over and over! They thought it was hilarious!

Me and my sis. Ya-Ya, we miss you!!!!!!!

Dad and Brenn at the rock slides, swimming.

The fabulous Gage family. Aren't they awesome! We are so impressed with these sweet cousins. They played with the little cousins nonstop at Fall Creek Falls. One day, a lot of people were napping and McKay wouldn't sleep, so I came out of the cabin to find Ryan with all the younger cousins. He was playing games with them for hours. He is so patient and positive. Dave, Jordan, and Kaela all did the same. They are so sweet!

These two brought this whole clan together! I think there are 60 (or so) in our family now, including children, spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. AMAZING! I am blown away at what my parents have accomplished and they are still so patient, hard-working, kind and looking good! They have always set a great example for me. They are strong in the gospel and are always serving others. They have show me the way to be more like my Savior. Thanks for a fabulous family and a fun reunion!

Me and my sweetie pie! Pat was enjoying some of Sarah's hot chocolate around the campfire. Mmmm....

Dad and Brenn. They went on a scenic drive and Dad was a little sad that Brenn wanted to be with Kaela the whole time. So, Brenn had a hard time taking a picture.

Lauralynn, Jon, me, and Josh.

Ok, my husband is crazy! He wanted to shake trees at Fall Creek Falls. I never knew my husband's fetish with tree-shakin'. He would stare a tree down and then he had to shake it. Not just that, he wanted everyone to enjoy tree-shaking. This is a picture right after Pat got the men to shake a tree with him.

My family!!!

This was part of the "Strong Man Competition". Brenn was a fierce competitor. She did push-ups, sit-ups, sprints, and the long run. She was so cute the whole time.

This was at the end of the long run. Brenn and I came in last place and she was yelling, "Winner Winner!" the whole time! I love the excitement she has. And I can't wait for her to run in a race. She has mentioned to me that she wants to run a race with Dad when she gets older.

Brenn and Landon. This was the last day there. We went to the park and swam with Landon and Parker. Brenn had a blast with her cousins.

Thanks everyone for coming and spending time together. We had so much fun. Brenn told me we should go to Tennessee in June. I told her we just went, so she said, "Maybe we could go in July!"

Fun

2011-05-31T15:34:00.004-06:00

Brennley's BIG Date

2011-05-31T15:30:00.003-06:00

After many months of practicing and learning all 13 Articles of Faith, the big day arrived. Daddy called home around 3pm and asked if Brennley would go on a date with him that night. Brenn was THRILLED!

She spent an hour with mom getting ready, putting on lip gloss, filling up her purse, and dancing, waiting for her "handsome prince" to come pick her up. He arrived with her first bouquet of flowers. As a mom, it was very emotional. I loved seeing this moment......

This little girl adores her daddy. To have a date with him all to herself was heaven!

To top off the excitement, they got to ride in the truck! They had a great date. They went to Chili's for dinner. Brenn loved spending time with her daddy!

Just a snapshot of our two children together. They are playing more and more together. Even tonight, Brenn was in the tub and McKay was rolling around on the towel beside the tub. He would push his head up as high as he could to see his sister. Then when he saw her, he would giggle and she would crack up and hide again. It is really fun watching them together.

Here is a video of our princess waiting for her special date!

Memorial Day Weekend Project

2011-05-31T15:24:00.003-06:00

Since we moved into our home almost one year ago, we have been wanting to paint. All white walls are great, but we wanted some color in our lives. So, one day, Pat decided we were going to paint. Then, we changed our minds because we were watching our budget. Then, we heard about the Behr rebate sale. So, we jumped back in. We bought the paint and started the preparations. Here are some before pictures.

Brenn got to help paint a lot! She loved being a part of the excitement. She did a great job and listened really well. She helped on Thursday night with a big paint brush and covered a good portion of the wall. Then, on Saturday, we only had a little brush, so it wasn't as exciting. But, she still loved it!

Wait for it.....Wait for it.....

TADA! Saturday we finished the painting and my amazing husband continued working on Monday to do the crown molding. He worked every second of this holiday weekend, almost. We were able to take a few breaks to have some Memorial Day BBQs.

I love how it turned out. I love the crown molding, especially how the corners look. Pat was researching how to do crown molding (I love my husband, no job is ever to big for him!!) and he said it was going to be tricky. I didn't get it, I thought it was just like baseboard. I didn't realize it sits at an angle. So, I was impressed when we started putting it up! And, you can't tell from here, but Pat had to paint a 20foot wall that goes up the stairs. Killer!

We still need to paint the crown molding, so this big project is not complete.

Thanks Pat for making our home ours! I love how it feels. I love how it looks. It is much more homey! I love it!

A few Updates

2011-05-24T12:45:00.007-06:00

We have been feeling the heat recently, so Pat thought Brenn would like to put the hose down the slide. She had been wearing her swimsuit most of the day just for fun. But, she was too nervous to jump into the cold water.

Getting a wheel barrel ride from dad! Dad is so much fun!

We started feeding McKay vegetables about 2 weeks ago. We started with squash from our garden. This boy is a bottomless pit. He always has his mouth open when we are feeding him. Open and ready for more food! He ate the squash really well and of course wanted more.

After he ate a week of squash, he tried some sweet potatoes for a few days and loved those too.

Dad wanted McKay to try beets. I told Pat, he could feed him beets as long as he did all the cleaning up afterwards. So first, our son looks like he is trying on some beautiful lipstick. Then....

the mess I was not ready to handle. Thanks Pat for cleaning it up! But of course, Pat was not home for the beet poop the next day! WOW! Beautiful poop! So, McKay is growing well and loving to eat. Whenever we eat, he just watches the spoons and forks going to everyone else's mouths and not his. It is quite sad. He is ready for more, much more. We are going to continue with the veggies for a while and see how that goes.

Miss Brenn has been telling us she wants her hair to be long like Tangled. Pat has been wanting to cut it short for the summer. He loves short hair. So, one day Brenn said she wanted daddy to cut her hair. I told Pat to take his chance and cut it before she changed her mind. So, he chopped it off. It was kind of sad to see it go. Now she looks much older.

That night she asked me if she look like Tangled. I said, no sweetie, Tangled has long hair. I was getting a little worried at that point. She told me she looks like Tangled when she cuts her hair. Sweet! We are all good. I want her to love her hair. She likes how it "fluffs up" in the back. She looks adorable. My sweetie pie! It is nice and cool for the hot Texas summer.

Brennley has learned all 13 Articles of Faith!! We are so proud of her. It only took 5months. She stayed motivated the whole time. When we started, we told her once she learned 6, she could go get ice cream with dad. Then, when she learned all of them she could go on a dinner date with date. They are planning to dress up - Brenn in her "Cinderella" dress from Aunt Ya-Ya and dad in a "nice suit". This is what Brenn has said. They are trying to plan a time for this special date. When Brenn was a baby, Pat and I went to Olive Garden and saw a dad come in with his daughter. The dad was in a suit and the daughter was in Cinderella dress up clothes. It was adorable and we both remember it.

We would learn the articles of faith during Family Home Evening. We started by playing Candyland and in order to move spaces, you would have to say part of the article of faith. She loved this for quite some time. When that got old, we had to try different ways to motivate her. Pat was very creative and decided to pull out one of her puzzles and in order to add a piece, you would have to say a line of the article of faith or the whole thing if we were reviewing. One night we made cookies and to add an ingredient, you would have to say the article of faith. Sometimes, Pat just grabbed a bag of candy and we would get candy as we said the articles of faith. (We were all learning.) Anyways, she was very cute through the whole process and after she learned a new article of faith, she would ask, "Can I go out for dinner with dad now?" Oh yeah, in order to "pass off" an article of faith, Brennley had to say it perfect for mom, dad, and someone else. We had a fun chart where we could sign them off. Thanks for all the support, attention, love, phone calls, and Skyping to help Brenn accomplish this.

The Cast is OFF!

2011-05-20T20:01:00.002-06:00

Sorry we did not update sooner, the cast was taken off on Tuesday May 10, 2011! Brenn had to wear it for 3 weeks. They sawed off the cast as Brenn nervously giggled because it tickled. We waited for the doctor to come back and Brenn kept asking to walk. I told her to wait for the dr. The doctor came in and said everything had healed nicely and she can walk on it. So, I put Brenn down and she tried to take a few normal steps and then reached for me. It was pretty tender I guess.The dr. said it would take about 3 weeks to get back to normal. She has been experiencing some joint stiffness in her ankle. She is finally relaxing her ankle now. But, for the first week without the cast she still walked like she had a cast on.

Also, Brennley has been learning the articles of faith and is extremely close to being done. The deal is that when she learns all 13 she gets to go on a special dinner date with dad all dressed up. She is so excited and has done really well. I hope to post a few videos of all she has learned!

McKay is 6 months!

2011-05-10T21:13:00.006-06:00

McKay is now 6months old! WOW! At his checkup, he weighed in at 18lbs 7oz (69%). I know, he is chunky. I feel it in my arms and back every day. But, he is full of love! He loves to "hug" me. He will put his hands on my face or on my neck and snuggle close. Most of the time, he is trying to chew on my chin. But, sometimes he is so gentle and sweet. He will just hug me. Oh, I love this sweet baby! One of the most tender most is when I swaddle him up at night. He thinks I am tickling him, so he will giggle. Then, I whisper in his ears to tell him I love him and he giggles even more. Then, he falls asleep. Oh, babies are so amazing. They can melt your heart. He does have his fussy moments, which are a lot right now. But, his sweetness makes it all worth it.

McKay is still eating rice cereal and oatmeal and LOVIN' it! He still has a huge appetite and will eat a few bowls at dinner and one bowl at breakfast. Some nights he just fusses while he eats, but continues to eat?.?. Any suggestions. I think it is usually because he is tired. Anyways, dinner time is not usually his favorite.

A few days before McKay turned 6months, he learned how to roll from his back to his tummy. After a few days of slowly rolling to his tummy, he became a roller. He can roll across the room - IF he wants to. He loves being held, and he loves playing on the ground with his toys.

Monday night McKay got his first full haircut. At about 3 1/2 months, Pat cut the hair hanging around his ears. But, now the hair on top of his head was getting pretty long. I love it, but he is a little boy. So, we cut it!

Pat did a great job with McKay moving his head the whole time. And, now, here he is.....

This is not how we style his hair. I love it a little crazy. But, Pat likes the "missionary part", so we try to keep him looking proper. Is it weird to say he looks older to me.

These next few pictures were before the haircut. Brenn and McKay hanging out. They are really enjoying each others company more and more. As long as McKay doesn't get Brenn's toys, life is good.

We ran a BYU Alumni 5k this past Saturday and did great. It took around 30min and I loved it. It was so great to be there as a family. And we sported our awesome CDM shirts once again! Brenn and McKay did great in the stroller (that Laura handed down to me, it is going on 20+ years strong). This was McKay's first race in the stroller. Brenn got out of the stroller at the end of the race and "ran the finish line". She was a nut. She had her hands in the air, she was waving at people saying, "I'm the winner. Winner, winner, chicken dinner." She was thrilled to "win the race" and get a muffin.

Just a goofy pic of Brenn with my rollers! She is such a cutie pie!

My Mother

2011-05-08T12:38:00.004-06:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers and those who act

as mothers. I had to write a little about my mother on this special "momma's holiday" (as Brenn is calling it).

I truly have the best mother in the world, hands down. No one can compete with this amazing woman. I am emotional just typing this. I really do not like to speak in church, but I felt like I should have been speaking because I have the best mother to talk about and share stories of. She is strong, bold, confident, knowledgeable, and gentle, loving, kind, and sweet. She is the mother of 10 and grandmother of 30+. She has so much love for all of us and never stops amazing me. Thank you mom for everything. Thanks for taking care of me as a baby, for the sleepless nights you had for over 20years! You have sacrificed more than any mom I know. And you did it all with a smile on your face. Thank you for always making me delicious breakfast. Thank you for driving me everywhere. Thank you for being at every single soccer game, basketball game, presentation at school, and awards ceremony. Thank you for making caramel popcorn balls for my class each year. Thank you for always being home and making dinner for the family to enjoy that special time together. You were always serving others while keeping our home and family Christ-centered. You had it all together! You taught all of your children about Christ and guided us just as He would have. I love you so much.

I also really appreciate Pat's mother. Because of her hard work and positive attitude, I have an amazing husband and father for our children. You have raised a special man who is celebrated everyday in our home. Thank you for teaching him confidence, cooking, sewing and the many abilities he is known for. Thank you for always setting an example and teaching him the gospel so that he can lead our family righteously. We have been blessed because of what you have done and continue to do as a mother. Thank you for doing so much for our family. Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Easter

2011-04-27T12:27:00.003-06:00

Brenn was so excited for Easter, like every other child. She loved coloring easter eggs with Dad. He is so brave. Here she is waiting patiently for the eggs to change colors.

She is very confident and independent. She will tell me in a motherly voice, "It's fine, I can do it. Don't worry." Especially if I tell her not to do something. Please notice the polka dot shirt and pants. She loves picking out her clothes. Fortunately, these are her jammies. But, she wants to wear them every night and is sure they match. Come on, they are both polka dot and pink, how much better of a match can you get?

Easter morning, finding eggs in the backyard with her new hat from the Easter Bunny. We have been looking for a ball cap for Brenn for a long time. Thanks Easter Bunny! Brennley also got a new puzzle, a twirly skirt (click here for step by step instructions from the Easter Bunny), and candy. The Saturday before Easter, she kept telling us that the Easter Bunny was going to bring cotton candy. We were unaware that the Easter Bunny had that. But, sure enough, she knew it would be there, and it was.

Easter morning. I feel so blessed to know that Jesus Christ lives and that we will live with him again. It has been joyful for me teaching this to Brennley. It is a hard concept, especially for a 3year old. But, we talked about death and resurrection and how happy it will be to live in heaven with Heavenly Father and Jesus. That is by far one of the happiest things for me to think about.....the day that I will meet my Savior, face to face. I want so badly to hear those words, "Well done thou good and faithful servant." This is what motivates me each and every day to strive to do better. One of our recent conversations,

Brenn: "Mommy, that girl is not modest."

Me: "That is ok, that is her choice."

Brenn: "I want to be modest so I can make Heavenly Father happy. And I can live with him in heaven because I am making good choices!"

I know it is silly, but I love knowing that she is listening and learning a little at a time.

Late birthday pictures. I had a great birthday and an especially delicious birthday cake, by none other but the cake-master himself.....PAT! It was delicious! I wish it lasted longer.

Pat was so great! My birthday was on the Sunday after the beach trip. So, we only got a few hours of sleep and had to wake up early for church. I was not in the best mood, I require a lot of sleep to be fully charged and happy. Church was tough, McKat cried a lot, so it was hard to teach my lesson. I had a meeting that was longer than I planned, and McKay was still fussy. So, Pat dealt with my poor attitude and did everything he could for our family! Thanks Patti Bear! It was a great birthday! One year older and wiser too (I hope)!

A Trip to the Beach

2011-04-27T12:00:00.006-06:00

I got the best birthday present this year - a trip to the beach! We made a day trip down to Corpus Christi with our friends and their two girls and had a blast. We went on April 16th, just a few days before Brenn broke her foot. So, this was before the cast was put on. The weather was great, our friends were so fun and laid back, and the snacks and food were great.

McKay fussed most of the ride down there, and finally Pat had the brilliant idea to lay him down and he fell right to sleep like this.

And woke up a happy baby!

The majority of the day was spent building sand castles and burying people in the sand.

My sweet girlie.

Boy time.

Our two beautiful, wonderful children (who are teaching us about patience and true happiness every day).

A little walk through the seaweed. That was the only downside to the beach we chose - it had a ton of seaweed by the water. It didn't smell bad though. But, this beach was nice because it had great showers we could use afterwards. Since we did not have a hotel, this was SOOOO worth it. We washed up completely afterwards and went to dinner for my birthday. It was wonderful! Thanks PAT!

Don't you love Mr. Chunks?

Brenn loved having her day to play with her all day long in the sand. When we were leaving, she was laying in the sand. She LOVED the sand!

Brenn has a bad boo-boo...

2011-04-20T13:05:00.003-06:00

Brenn was playing on her beautiful swingset on Monday night. She was hanging on the monkey bars, with Dad's help. Then, she tried to do it by herself. She jumped out to the first bar, hung for a second, and then dropped straight to the ground. She landed on her feet, then feel to her hands. In the process, she hurt her left foot. She limped inside and we gave her a bath. She did not want to put any weight on her foot. If she did, the tears came fast. So, Pat was super alert. When we went to bed, it was like he turned on the children ears. He rarely hears the kids during the night. But, that night, he heard ever whimper from Brenn and bolted to her side. He brought her to sleep in our room, but she wasn't sleeping well. So he snuggled in her bed for a few hours. In the morning, Pat did not want to go to work until he knew she was ok. So, with the HUGE help and advice from my fabulous brother Geoff, Pat took Brenn to a clinic to have an x-ray. 4hours later, the doc said he thought she had multiple fractures in her foot. But, he sent us to a pediatric orthopedic doc. This doc said Brenn had a BROKEN FOOT! My poor 3year old. But, through this entire day, Pat stayed home from work and took super great care of her. She was happy and did really well with the whole process.

Now she has a hot pink cast to show off. She is really excited about the little shoe or "boot" that goes on top of the cast, because she can walk with that on. She is very independent and wants to do everything by herself. I offered to carry her up the stairs last night and she said, "I can walk with my boot, that's what the doctor said." Thanks again Geoff for all the help! We love ya. Thanks for all the calls and support and concern for our family. We love you all.

Brenn's 5k Water Station

2011-04-02T20:17:00.003-06:00

Pat's work was sponsoring a 5k and we were not ready to pay $25 each to run, so we decided to help with the water station instead. It was really neat watching a 5k instead of running it, like we are use to. I loved seeing the excitement and it has pushed me to sign us up for a 5k. We are going to run a BYU Alumni 5k here in a few weeks. It is much cheaper! I hope we will do well and really push ourselves. We did a practice run the other day and it took us 32minutes. So, we have room to improve. But, remember that we are pushing a double stroller.

Our family. So, back to the water station. Brennley saw where the cups were, how to fill up the water, and where to sit the cups, so she jumped on it. She called it here water station. She was in charge and lovin every minute of it. She would tell all the runners that walked by before or after the race (we were at the start/finish line), "Water, right here!" And point to the beautiful water station she had worked so hard on.

McKay loved hanging out with dad during the race. He loves being snuggled up close in the baby carrier. On a side note, I cannot believe how much attention McKay (and Pat) get when Pat wears the bjorn like this at the store. People flock to him, eyes lit up, crazy, huh! We went to Sears, and as soon as he came around the corner with McKay, three or four ladies (I think they were employees), started walking towards Pat. We just laughed! I know, our son is so adorable, people can't stand it!

Updates

2011-04-02T19:45:00.005-06:00

Look what my husband did! I know he is awesome! He built me a fabulous shelf for our pantry. Before, we had the horrible wire shelves, so whenever I put something on the shelf it would fall over. So, now I have beautiful shelves and nothing is falling over. Thanks again Super Pat!

Speaking of my husband and amazing things. I have the best deal ever, even compared to my CVS deals. So, I was at Old Navy exchanging a shirt I had bought Pat for his birthday. I found these navy blue pants that he is wearing. They did not have a price tag on them, they only had a tag that said "Damaged or Defective". An employee walked by and I asked her if she knew what the price was. She started to say "Forty Seven..." and I immediately thought $47, but I was wrong........ 47cents!!! Can you believe that? My husband's size and everything! WOW! Lucky me! Isn't he studly!

Cute matching jammies from Aunt Ya-Ya and Kaela. I love the jammies! Thanks so much!

Most of our recent Saturdays have been spent working outside in the garden. Last Saturday we planted some flowers and our tomatoes. Brenn was daddy's little helper. She helped dig the hole and put the nice soil in. She loves the flowers. Every time she goes outside, she wants to touch them and smell them.

Whatever mom! My little punkin head! Is she a teenager already?!?! Heavens no, we just get a little 3year old drama every once in a while. Like this face. She is obviously too busy to take a picture. Brenn is learning a lot right now. She loves to write her letters and is always trying to sound out words and find out what letter a word starts with.

TOO CUTE! We love McKay! Thanks Ya-Ya again for the BYU outfit. Go Cougars! McKay is obviously happy to support BYU!

So, the big news with McKay is we starting feeding him solids, well I think of it as mush. We started oatmeal On March 30th, just a few days before he turned 5months. He has a HUGE appetite. He eats and eats and eats and wants more, so we thought oatmeal might help our hungry baby. He loves it. When he sees the bowl coming, he gets excited. When the spoon comes, his mouth is wide open! Last night he had 3 bowls!! Pat loves being able to feed him, so him and Brenn fight over who gets to feed him each night. He has been sleeping through the night for about two months now, but since we started oatmeal, he has woken up a few times. Isn't that the opposite effect? I don't think it is the oats. I think he is teething, because he has had a bit of congestion.

UTAH

2011-03-24T06:34:00.007-06:00

Ahhh....the beautiful mountains of UTAH! I miss the mountains and the snow, but especially the GAGES!! Oh how we missed Uncle Don, Aunt Ya-Ya, David, Brent, Jordan, Ryan, & Kaela! I had been talking to Laura about getting together and she figured the easiest way to see each other was for us to fly there. So......

Brennley, McKay, and I hopped on a plane and flew to Utah, just like this. Ok, I am a crazy woman! I did not check any bags because I couldn't stand to pay $50 for my luggage to fly. We are cheap! So, I had McKay strapped to me, my backpack, a rolling bag, a duffel bag, and Brenn's backpack trekking through the airport. I was sweating, I mean dripping down my back sweat! Especially when I had to walk through the entire Phoenix airport AND go through security again because our plane was delayed and we were put on another airline. But, all of that was worth it for the GAGES!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!! I walked upstairs at 6am to feed McKay, only to find a leprechaun putting green food coloring in the milk...Silly ya-ya! Brenn loved the green milk. At the end of the day, she asked for a glass of green milk but it was all gone. Laura also made green potato soup and green key-lime pie. It is always a party with Aunt Ya-Ya.

We all wondered if McKay would like Uncle Don. Brennley was not a big fan of him when she was a baby. But, McKay loved Uncle Don. It was so cute. And, Brennley loved him too. They loved all of the attention.

Oh....my sweetie pie. He is so cute and sweet and snuggly! He loved all of the fun at the Gage home.

You can tell Brennley got over her fear of Uncle Don. Here she is hanging out with Uncle Don, watching TV in her new favorite dress.

I think this is the first tree Brenn has ever climbed. I know, that is pretty sad. We don't have many good climbing trees around us. So, she loved playing in the Gage's back yard. This is when she told Ryan, "Sometimes I say Ogero" with drunken eyes and a Spanish accent.

I got to see my sista play volleyball while we were there. It was awesome. She is an amazing volleyball player and really works the court. She played so well and their team WON! I loved seeing her play, she has some mad skills! Go Ya-Ya!

Here we are at the game. We also got to see Jordan and Ryan play some church ball. They were awesome and Jordan was ridiculously silly. We also played basketball with the Gages and I had a blast. I haven't played any team sports for a long time, it isn't very easy to do as a mom. So, I loved playing ball.

Brenn got to sleep in Mikaela's room the whole time we were there. She absolutely loved it. Mikaela read so many books to her and snuggled with her.

Oh, I love these kids! Thanks Jordan, Ryan, and Kaela for playing endless hours with Brenn and for cracking me up! You are hilarious and seriously, the sweetest teenagers I know. You made this trip possible for me by helping out so much with Brenn and McKay.

Of course, Ya-Ya, (who we are trying to start calling her GG (for Grandma Gage)), can't pass up a train ride at the mall. She is like a grandma to Brenn and spoils her rotten. After the train ride, Brenn saw a cotton candy machine and asked for some. I told her no and the train conductor came up and bought her some. Come on man, seriously! Brenn got EVERYTHING she set her eyes on. We are still adjusting to being back in real life, where we don't get everything we want. Ha!

We got to see Dave, we haven't seen him since before his mission. It was so nice to see him. Brennley was not so sure about him, because she was only 1 when he left. It took a whole day, but he won her over in the mall by throwing her in the air and playing, "Get that toosh out of my face!"

We were so lucky that Grandpa Stephens, Great-Grandpa Stephens, and Uncle Nick came to see us at the Gages. Brennley loved seeing Grandpa and Uncle Nick and hanging out with them for a little bit. Thanks! It was super fun to hang out with Nick and watch NACHO with him. You're hilarious bud!

Go Cougars! Ryan taught me everything about March Madness and I loved watching BYU! Good job Cougars!

These are the beautiful matching dresses that Laura bought Kaela and Brenn. They got their pictures taken at JCPenneys and I will post some later. Brenn was in heaven. She kept talking about her "Princess Dress". She loves how it fluffs up and you can tell she feels beautiful in it.

Brenn got to play with Oaklie and Porter too. Thanks Dave and Mary for coming down to visit. It was so good to see you and Charlie and Cassie. These kids are so adorable. And Oaklie was so sweet with Brenn.

One day, we waited in the car while Laura ran some errands. McKay started getting fussy, so I pulled him out of his carseat. Brenn asked if she could hold him and I thought it wasn't a good idea because he was fussy. But, I put him in her lap and he LOVED it. He loves Brenn so much. He started smiling and looking at her.

We got to go to Kaela's school for lunch one day. Brenn and Kaela had matching hair and some people thought they were sisters. It was so fun to see Kaela at school. She is such a good girl. She is laid back, no drama, and so sweet and cute! We love Kaela.

We went to BYU while we were in Utah.

Gotta love BYU! We even saw Cosmo!

We enjoyed some delicious ice cream at the CougarEat! YUMMY!

Saying goodbye at the airport. So sad to leave our family again. Thanks for everything!

My sweet, sweet, sweet, beautiful sista! I love you Laura. Thanks for flying us to Utah, it was so much fun to hang out, laugh, play, eat delicious food, and chat. Thanks for the run. I miss living so close to you. Your family is amazing! I can't believe how sweet, thoughtful, and selfless you all are. You and Don are fabulous parents! I love you so much!

3month & 3year Pictures

2011-03-24T06:27:00.002-06:00

We went to get McKay's 3 month pictures taken about a month ago and took a few of Brenn too. I can't complain when the pictures are so stinkin cheap. It is too easy! The only problem is that I end up wanting to buy more sheets than I need. What can I say, my children are beautiful!

Brenners...She loves getting her picture taken. It is quite adorable to watch her cheese it up for the camera.

Mr. McKay! Isn't he so precious!

Very serious.

So studly! I love my children and I love to share their adorable pictures! I know you won't enjoy these as much as I do, but I thought it would be nice to share them!

We Believe.....

2011-03-07T19:41:00.004-07:00

The excitement at our house right now is the Articles of Faith!! YAHOO! Pat wanted to teach Brennley the Articles of Faith during our Family Home Evening time. So, we started playing Candyland. In order to move a space, you had to know a word in the Article of Faith we were learning. She did really well with this. She was learning one every week and a half, some in only a few days.

We had set 2 big goals. When Brennley learned the first six, she got to go out for ice cream with dad. So, on Friday night she passed off the 6th Article of Faith. Pat wanted to test her, so he made sure she remembered all of them. She sang all six! So, on Saturday, they went out for ice cream. Brenn was so excited. Pat said that as she carried her ice cream to the table, she was trying to eat it because she couldn't wait. The next goal is to learn the last seven. Then she gets to go on a date with Dad, wherever she wants!

Just a random picture. Pat put Brenn on the counter to stir some kool-aid for us!

It's GARDEN TIME! We have started planting and it is so exciting. So, Pat and Brenn planted some seeds in these little cups a week ago. They are already shooting up. It is so fun for Brenn. Each morning, she wants to see what the plants look like. We have also planted some flowers.

This is how McKay hung out while Pat and I did some yard work during Brenn's nap. He was pretty content in there. He is now 4months old! He weighs 16lbs 13oz (85%)!! He is our BIG BOY! He can roll over, but does it only when necessary. He sleeps well. He loves bath time. He really loves when Brennley talks, sings, or even looks at him. He will laugh at her! He also loves mom and dad giving him attention.

We are so proud of Brenn. On Sunday, Pat shared his testimony and he bragged about Brenn learning the Articles of Faith. In Primary, the person who was suppose to say the scripture and prayer was not there. The Primary President asked Brennley if she would say the prayer and share one of the Articles of Faith. Brenn was so excited. I asked if she wanted my help and she said she could do it all by herself. She said the prayer like a big girl, praying for our garden and McKay's doctor's appointment. Then, she sang the sixth article of faith!

2011-02-26T13:04:00.002-07:00

McKay is doing well! He is happy and we are loving him soooo much!

Brennley got to feed McKay his bottle for the first time and she loved it. She asks all the time now to feed him, but it is much easier to nurse than to pump! I was so excited for her to be able to give him a bottle. Little girls love mothering, just like they do with their pretend babies. Brenn is a GREAT helper!

Can you see all the small font under the speed limit?? Did you know that some school zones are school zone speed limit all day long (almost, I am exaggerating a little bit...can ya tell I am frustrated?).

So, we were leaving the library after story time at 11:36am. I saw a police officer parked in a parking lot, watching the cars. I look at my speed, 30mph, had another drink of water and continued driving, knowing that I wasn't doing anything wrong. I saw the car next to me slow down and I thought, "Oh, he must be like my husband, who slows down whenever he sees a police officer." Well, the police slowly turned out of the parking lot and turned on his lights. I still wasn't worried. Then, he pulled me over. I still wasn't worried, I had not done anything wrong....or so I thought. I asked the officer why he pulled me over and he said I was speeding in a school zone. NO WAY! I said, I knew it was school zone between 7&9 and 2:30&4:30. He informed me that it is also school zone between 11:30&1:30, in case the high schoolers leave for lunch. ARGH!! So, I was bummed, especially since I thought I was obeying the law! I learned my lesson the hard way!

So, this sign says 7-9am, 11:30-1:30pm, and 2:30-4:30pm. So, I plan to go 20mph whenever I go through that area. Oh, by the way, the sign that I passed did not have the flashing lights like the picture.

Here are 2 fun videos. The first is of Brenn feeding McKay. The second one is another video (I know) of Mckay laughing. Sorry, it is toooo stinkin cute! I love my adorable children and of course my hard-working hubby!

Happy Valentines

2011-02-20T20:36:00.005-07:00

Brennley has been so excited about Valentines. The night before Valentines, she put Pat's surprise in his truck, so he would find out when he went to work. So, right before Pat left she said, "There's a surprise in your truck!" On Valentine's morning, Brennley found a surprise on the table for her from Pat. She was thrilled!

Brennley was invited to a Valentine's party at the park and she was so excited. She wanted to wear a dress, which is normal. Everyday she asks to wear a dress that "fluffs up". Basically she wants a dress that twirls really nice.

She was most excited for the fun Valentines treats. She loved giving out her Tinkerbell Valentine cards to her friends and playing at the park. She got a bag full of treats to take home. She kept telling me, "If I make good choices, I can have a holidays treat." She has recently added some bigger words to her vocabulary. She loves to say serious, completely, and appropriate. It is hilarious to hear her say these words. She also likes to tell Pat, "That does not make me happy." Especially when he burps without saying excuse me.

Texas has had an influence on our daughter....

Brenn loves to be a cowgirl! She loves to have crazy hair. She told me that she likes to feel the wind and her hair in her face.

Our little family

We started our garden on Saturday, and when I say "we", that pretty much means Pat. He did the majority of the work. While I tried to help, I move pretty slow and had to attend to the "I need to go potty", "Can you open the door", "I have ants on me", which came up every little bit. Brennley did get quite a few ant bites. They got on her and bit everywhere. It was pretty sad.

And of course, here is our happy boy in the cute clothes provided by my sistas, Laura & Shauna. He rolled over twice yesterday and is sleeping better at night now!! YAHOO!

McKay is 3 months!

2011-02-08T23:59:00.003-07:00

Our sweet baby boy is 3 months old now. I cannot believe how fast he is growing. He loves to interact with us. He loves attention. He loves when we talk to him, tickle him, and give him kisses. He is very happy! We are so blessed to have two amazing children in our family.

We went to the library's "Pajama-Rama" tonight and I thought McKay would sleep through it because he was pretty tired. He started getting fussy near the end, so I pulled him out of his car seat and he started laughing and giggling and he went on and on. It was so adorable. I couldn't get over it. He took a short nap in the car and then he was laughing again at home. I love how happy he is!

These are some pictures from tonight.

Sorry if this is too much with all the videos, but I loved them all. McKay is a sweet baby and I love his big open mouth smile. He loves to hold my hand, which I love too. He knows the way to a momma's heart.

Snow Day in Texas!

2011-02-04T09:49:00.004-07:00

Happy Snow Day! Our first winter in Texas and we got snow! YAHOO! It hasn't snowed here in years, so we are very lucky. McKay got to experience snow for the very first time. It was quite exciting. They closed down all the major interstates, so my hard working husband was forced to stay home. But, the snow could only keep him back for a few hours, then he adventured out into the "horrible road conditions". Which, he said the roads were just wet when he got on them. They were a solid piece of ice in the early morning hours.

Yeah for snow! Good thing we have snow clothes from Utah, they actually came in handy.

Snow tastes delicious! So, they had the sheriff on a phone call on the news that morning. He had a strong southern accent and said, "I've never seen snow in my life." So, Brenn kept saying that throughout the day. We had to remind her that she got to enjoy the great Utah snow for 2 years.

Happy (Late) Birthday Pat!!

2011-02-04T09:38:00.006-07:00

We celebrated Pat's 28th Birthday!! Happy Birthday Hunny! It was a blast! You can tell by how happy he is. He is making the famous Mormon punch that we love so much!

For his birthday dinner, we had ribs, mashed potatoes, salad, and bread! Brennley went to town on the ribs. She ate every bit on her plate and asked for more. So, daddy was kind enough to share some of his ribs with her.

Singing to our man!

Pat blowing out the candles!

Or course he needed a little help from the Brenns. Before his birthday, Brenn told me that daddy said she could blow out his candles. So, I was asking Pat about it when Brenn was there and he laughed. He hadn't told her that...I guess she was just hoping.

My husband's beautiful birthday cake. Of course, I wanted to make it for him, but he is PRO and wanted to make it himself. I know it makes me look bad, but I helped as much as he would let me. And, he has had german chocolate cake every year for his birthday, but decided to do a carrot cake (since I am not eating chocolate for the first few months of McKay's nursing life) for me! What a stud!

Hanging out with the boys in the kitchen.

Playing with McKay!

Happy Birthday Pat! We love you so much! You are an amazing husband and father! Your only weakness is that you hate to be lazy...so I guess your weakness is your strength! You work so hard all day everyday and then work hard at home to keep things in order and complete projects! You do everything you can to keep our family healthy and happy. The other day we were getting ready for lunch and I mentioned how a BLT sounded sooooo good. (I have been on a bacon kick ever since I had a salad with bacon - I think that ruins the healthiness of the salad, but it was delicious!) Pat said really quickly, "Do you want me to go get some bacon right now?" We passed on the bacon, but he is always willing to do anything for me. I love you so much and hope you had a great birthday!

Brenn and the girls at daddy's birthday party. All the girls wanted to dance, so Pat turned on the music and let them get their energy out. Our daughter is a nut and we love her.

Lots 'o pics and videos!

2011-01-25T11:20:00.008-07:00

Here is our happy boy, MCKAY!! He smiles a lot right now, but I have a hard time getting pictures of him smiling. The camera distracts him. He loves when you talk to him or sing fun songs. He will try and talk with his 'oo', 'goo', 'ah', or making silly noises.

When we were getting ready for church, Brennley said she wanted to wear her green dress. I said that maybe daddy could wear a green tie to match her. So, he went above and beyond and put on a green sweater. Brenn was thrilled to match her daddy, best buddies.

I can't believe how fast McKay is growing. He is getting pretty chunky! He is so adorable and fun to have around. I love all of the little clothes he has right now and he can only wear them a few times. So, I have been taking pictures of his different outfits.

Brennley had a nasty run in with our tree in the back yard. We were trying to fly her kite because she said it was a "perfect flite-kying day". She was running with the handle and string. I was holding the kite up, hoping the wind would catch it. So, she ran back in forth in the yard. She was running and looking behind her and ran straight into our tree. She had scratches all over her, but her nose was the worse. It is healing quickly though.

Thanks Aunt Ya-Ya and Uncle Don for the cute BYU clothes! We love them. Go COUGARS! Recently Brennley has mentioned that she wants to play soccer at BYU!

My boys!

It has been a little chilly here, so when I go running, I bundle the kids up. McKay always falls asleep in the stroller and when I put him in his crib when we got home, this is how he was stuck!

We got Brenn's 3year pictures back and when I put it in the frame, I found her past few pictures. The first one is 18months (I think), then 2years, then 3years. It is crazy how much she has changed! My baby girl is getting so big! She likes to talk all grown up now. Pat and I were in her room trying to reorganize some things and she wanted to be a part of the conversation. So, she just started talking like,"I don't think that will fit...that is not a good idea....I think we should move here...." She cracks me up!

Isn't he handsome! He will be 3months this week!! WOW! My baby is growing! :(

Brenn with all her jewelry and her horse...what more does she need? She got some jewelry from Aunt Ya-Ya and Kaela and she loves it. She went to the eye doc with me and said, "I am going to wear all my jewelry for the doctor. I will shine!"

Brennley was able to share the scripture in primary a few weeks ago. She memorized her scripture and did it so well!

McKay is getting fun to communicate with!

Monster Truck Show

2011-01-25T11:14:00.001-07:00

Pat heard about the Monster Truck Show a few months ago and planned to have a date with Brenn. She has been looking forward to this for a LONG time.

Pat spent the whole day with Brenn. He worked on the car and the truck in the morning and of course, Brenn was right by his side. Then, they watched a movie and ate lunch together. Then, he packed a bag full of treats and headed off to the pre-show!

They had pit passes, so they could see all the trucks up close. Brenn loves her daddy!

I had to throw in some cute McKay pictures! He is too adorable and sweet!

Hanging out with Dad! Pat, by the way, is AMAZING! He has gone above and beyond since McKay was born. He gives Brenn all the attention she is begging for. He cleans and cooks, when needed. And, he adores our baby boy! I feel so blessed. We have a wonderful family and I get so much joy from our family!

Kissin' Santa Claus

2011-01-14T12:47:00.002-07:00

While riding in the car, we heard the song, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". Brennley got really confused and said, "Mommy, I don't want to kiss Santa Claus." I told her that was fine, and she did not have too. Then she said, "Mommy, YOU like kissing Santa Claus?" She thought I was crazy! Santa does not seem like the most appealing person to kiss!

Christmas

2011-01-13T11:12:00.009-07:00

Our camera has died! It lasted us 6 great years, and finally quit working. So, sorry for the lack of blogging. We just got our pictures off of the camera this week. So, here is our Christmas update!

We have had such a fun time the past few months with birthdays, McKay, holidays, and tons of family visiting!

We built gingerbread houses with our friends. It was so fun!

*Christmas Morning* We loved having Grandma & Grandpa Stephens here for Christmas and New Years! Brenn LOVED the attention. Grandpa spent tons of time playing whatever Brennley wanted! And Grandma helped Brennley beautify herself with doing hair and makeup. Thanks for everything!

Thanks Aunt Ya-Ya and Uncle Don for the awesome BYU stuff! We love it!

Santa brought Brenn & McKay a swing set this year! YAHOO! It has been fabulous! We can get outside more and Brenn loves it! She isn't scared of swinging anymore. She is super brave!

Action shot, Brenn unwrapped everything!

3 Generations!

Our happy baby!! We love McKay! He is so sweet and snuggly! There is something very special about having an infant in our home. We absolutely love it!

TOUCHDOWN!

Brenn playing the piano with Grammy!

Merry Christmas!

2011-01-09T17:38:00.005-07:00

Merry Christmas Stephens Family...

We were fortunate enough to have Grandma and Grandpa Stephens out here for the holidays and Pat and Grandpa were able to build some storage cabinets for the master bedroom. Pat finished the lower dresser portion yesterday and I helped put the dresser together. Here are the much awaited pictures. Hope you enjoy.

Now we have a place to store some FOOD STORAGE!!!!

The Stephens~

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-20T18:27:00.002-07:00

*Merry Christmas from the Stephens*

TONS of Pictures

2010-12-15T12:38:00.003-07:00

I am learning very quickly that I do not have enough hours in a day to get the things done that I would like. So, instead of an organized update on the blog, I am throwing up some pictures with the few minutes that I have! We went to an awesome Christmas concert Monday night with some friends. Brenn had a blast and loved dancing to the music!

They love each other soooo much. McKay smiles more for Brennley than for anyone else!

Isn't he handsome!

Brennley decorated her own tree! The tree we bought had some lighting problems with the top and middle piece, so they sent us new pieces. So, we have an extra tree!

A new discovery - HOT CHOCOLATE! And EGGNOG! Brenn loves them both!

More snuggles!

Brenn chatting on the phone with Grandma Stephens!

McKay rolled from his tummy to his back once when he was 4 weeks. He has not done it since then.

Dad with his two children watching The Santa Clause.

Story time with Shauna and Clara! We had a blast with Shauna, Jeremy, and Clara here. Thanks for everything!

Picnic lunch out back!

McKay....mmmmm So precious!

McKay is 6weeks now! He is wonderful. He eats a ton! And he is growing really fast. I am constantly looking through his clothes to make sure he gets to wear them before he is too big!

BIG SMILES!

We love bath time. He is so calm and content during and after bath time. Life is great! BUSY, but great! We are so blessed to have two healthy, happy children!

We love Christmas too! It has been fun teaching Brennley about Christmas. For our ward party, Pat and I were Joseph and Mary. McKay was baby Jesus. It was a neat experience and really helped us to reflect on that special night. We are so blessed to know about Jesus Christ and the example he has set for us!

McKay's Blessing

2010-12-06T20:58:00.003-07:00

I just found this post lost in our blog unpublished. Woops! Sorry. This is from November, a week and a half after McKay was born. We blessed him while Grandma and Grandpa Lifferth were here. They have set a goal to be at every grandchild's baby blessing and baptism, so we wanted to make sure they could be here.

This is the blessing outfit that we borrowed from the Hafens. Isn't he precious! And he was so happy to be blessed! I am so thankful for my sweet husband for being worthy to bless our family.

A trip to the Alamo! Cute mom and dad!

Daddy time.

Brennley wanted to show Grandma and Grandpa the temple while they were here visiting. Grandpa loved carrying McKay around in the carrier. He was so cute!

Brennley wore out both Grandparents while they visited. She wanted to read books, play, and walk all the time. We have great grandparents! Thanks for the love and support. Sorry for leaving this post out.

Air Show

2010-11-30T15:40:00.004-07:00

A few days after McKay was born, Pat took Brennley to the Air Show! They had a special date together. They had a blast and Brennley still talks about it. Whenever we hear the planes over our home, she says it is like the planes from the air show.

Brenn loved hanging out with her friends and checking out the planes!

"We are best buddies!"

Pat has been amazing (always), but especially amazing since McKay was born. He gives Brenn the extra attention she needs and has gone above and beyond in our home. He has been cleaning, cooking, decorating, organizing, and making me happy!

Our family is so blessed!

Stephens Family

More Tennessee FUN

A Tender Tennessee Christmas

Pre-Christmas Fun

December fun

Happy Thanksgiving

November Updates

McKay is 1!

Happy 4th Birthday Brennley!

Happy Halloween

Fun with Kelly & Berry

September was SOOO FUN!

Updates

McKay

Labor Day

Joy School

Photo Shoot

Family Fun

McKay is 9months

More fun with Grammy

***GRANDMA***

4th of July

The Beach

Fun Around the House

Fall Creek Falls

Fun

Brennley's BIG Date

Memorial Day Weekend Project

A few Updates

The Cast is OFF!

McKay is 6 months!

My Mother

Happy Easter

A Trip to the Beach

Brenn has a bad boo-boo...

Brenn's 5k Water Station

Updates

UTAH

3month & 3year Pictures

We Believe.....

Happy Valentines

McKay is 3 months!

Snow Day in Texas!

Happy (Late) Birthday Pat!!

TAG

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2011

Tag.

Lots 'o pics and videos!

Monster Truck Show

Kissin' Santa Claus

Christmas

Merry Christmas!

TONS of Pictures

McKay's Blessing

Air Show

GRANDMA