Sorry it's been so long!!!

Hopefully I will have time to post pictures later today, so check back soon! We will be moving again, perhaps just into town, perhaps not. More on that as soon as I know!!! I added a link to Derek's articles on the sidebar, so those of you who are interested can check out what he has written. Leave questions or comments, he is always looking for new article ideas that could really help someone!!! Love you all, and I'll get pictures of my babies posted soon!!

Mom of the Year!

So, I think I feel like the best mom in the world right now!! (Note the sarcasm). Case in point: Look at this picture:Not a big deal right?! Just a tootsie roll with a big bite out of one end, but note who is holding it :)
Story: Most of you know that Brendan has severe multiple food allergies, one of which is milk. And yes, tootsie rolls have milk in them! So here's what happened!! We had a ward party, and we were careful to bring food Brendan could eat, and were diligent to make sure he didn't get anything he shouldn't. Well, the game for the nursery age (18 mo- 3 years) kids was a pool full of saw dust, with buried candy and toys. We allow Brendan to participate, and then bring home his goodies to exchange for things he can have. He KNOWS he can't eat tootsie rolls. He even asked when we started looking! However, as soon as I turn my back, "Mom, can I eat this?" " No love, it has milk in it." Then I see him chuck this tootsie roll at me. I about had a heart attack! He knows better! Luckily, I'm pretty sure he took the bite and spit it out, thus not fully ingesting it, so the reaction was minor (hives on his face/neck) but the Benadryl cleared it up quickly. We were glad it wasn't more serious, and just reinforced to us that any situation is potentially deadly for our little guy, and I am the world's greatest mom :)

Limeade!!

Derek loves lemonade & limeade in the summer, but money is kind of tight, so we don't get to buy those things a lot. However, when I found the limes on sale, I decided we would make our own concentrate. Thus for the same price of one can, I can make 7 liters of fresh limeade!! I don't own a juicer (I'm watching D.I. though!!), so Derek got the job of squeezing the juice while I made the sugar syrup. Brendan decided to help!After the juice was squeezed, Brendan would eat the remaining flesh of the lime.

Swimming!!!

Derek wouldn't let me buy a swimming pool because we have no where to put it!!!! However, we have this trusty little boat that my parents bought when we took Brendan swimming in Oklahoma. We put a piece of cardboard down so we wouldn't pop it, and filled it was lukewarm water!! You can't tell, but this is the front of our apartment. We have a six foot pad of cement and then parked cars. I'm sure we looked a little white trash, but we had fun!!! Derek took the water guns out and he and Brendan squirted those while little Bryn splashed. She loves water!!!Derek and Brendan had fun playing in the "pool" indoors as well!!

There is beaty all around . . .

We love where we live (well, not the apartment, but the area!!!). We went up Cub River to go fishing. This is 14 miles from our home. It was absolutely gorgeous! I didn't get a picture, but there were fields of wild flowers all around. It was breathtaking!! Brendan had a little dollar store toy fishing pole that he kept throwing in the water trying to catch a fish. He was unsuccessful, but sure had fun being like Daddy!!!After fishing, we decided to hike up one of the trails to the lake. We didn't make it to the lake, we had no idea how far it was, but sure had fun on the hike. Brendan kept asking if we could see a bear and calling for them to come!!! Luckily, we didn't see one! Brendan was a trooper and walked quite a ways. He had a walking stick to help him along. It was a fun evening!!! Oh, Derek was the trooper and carried Brynlee in the pack. He put it one and said, "Whew! Is this what it is like to be pregnant?" If only he knew!!!

More from our trip!!!

Sorry, I didn't get everything done the other day!!! Derek had to go to Boise for work on Thursday/Friday so the kids and I went to Twin Falls to stay with my oldest sister & see the Eccles (my parents are in Peru w/ Matt). While there, we go to go to the Tubbs Berry Farm and pick 4 gallons of strawberries for strawberry jam!!Brendan & Caleb ate the berries as quick as they could! Brendan kept coming over, "Mommy, these are yummy berries!!" Not to bad for first year plants that aren't supposed to produce!!

Little Brynlee Jo hung out in the stroller eating graham crackers, until she started screaming because she was tired!!!
While Bryn slept, I made jam, and the kids played outside on the new slip & slide & little pool!!After a fun filled day, Daddy made it home, and we got to go out and visit Grandma & Grandpa Eccles!! We had a fun night, Brendan played outside with Daddy and we got to see airplanes and parachutes. However, that night, Brendan started wheezing and having trouble breathing. Luckily, half of our belongings are still in Twin at my parents, so it was running to get the nebulizer to do a treatment. Poor little guy fell asleep with the mask on as soon as he could breathe!! Who knows what it was-gotta love them allergies!!! He had a rough week. It's difficult to travel with him and keep him safe!!! Luckily, he is doing fine now that we are home!!!Brendan said the dinner prayer while we were here. He thanked Heavenly Father for everyone (except me!!) and thanked him again, and again, for Grandpa Eccles!! I think he's got a little buddy!!!

Family Vacation 2008

Our family vacation this year was simply a trip to Salt Lake to the zoo. While there, we also visited several of our friends (one, Amanda, I hadn't seen since 5th grade!!) and dear Naomi and their new baby Spencer. We stayed with Aunt Michelle & Uncle Gerry and had a lot of fun with our cousins! Brendan loved the zoo, his favorite part was the train, and the yellow fire hydrant (really, he gets so excited he sees one)! Here are a few pictures of our activities!!

Drinking water from the Lions mouth!

The albino alligator! There are only 10 of these that are known to exist. Kind of neat to get the opportunity to see one!

There is an elephant just to the right of Derek's shoulder!

The train. The five minute ride wasn't worth the money, but Brendan loved it!!

We love our Uncle Andy!!! Brendan loves playing with Uncle Andy, especially since he is just a big kid! In the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, they were having a water fight in the fountain! When Andy picked him up, Brendan's shoe just happened to fall off, right into the water!!!
Whenever Brendan comes to a step or a bench, he has to sit down on it! I don't know why, but it certainly makes walking anywhere take awhile!!!
Riding Aunt Michelle's horse. This was Brendan's first time on a horse, he has ridden ponies at my mom & dad's, but they are quite a bit smaller!! Brendan enjoyed it though! After he was done, he insisted he get to lead the horse for Jake to ride! Good thing it was a fairly mild mannered horse!!!

Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

So, finally had time to mess with the computer! Here are pictures of what we have been up to!!!

Fishing with Daddy! We caught lots of moss, and one itty bitty fish.Weenie roast & s'mores with Grandma & Grandpa Bennett
For Memorial Day, we traveled with Bob & Jenice to Walla Walla & Benton City to clean the graves of Derek's grandparents. It was a lot of time in the car, but we had fun. Brendan got car sick and a few miles from Jenice's house, threw up everything he had ever eaten. I was so glad Derek was sitting next to him and not me!!!!
While in Walla Walla, we got to spend some time Uncle Bob & Aunt Rita
I was having "mommy time" on Brendan's bed. Bryn was asleep on our bed, and Derek was watching sports (surprise surprise) in the living room. This was the only corner I could find to be alone. It didn't last long, Brendan found me and decided he needed to read a book too!!!

Sorry for the delay!!!

I can't believe how long it has been since I updated! Sorry! Here's what we have been up to!

Derek

• Finished work at the school today (except for a pot luck lunch tomorrow)
• Started working at the golf course (free golfing for us all summer!!!) & is waiting to start work at the boys ranch here in a couple weeks
• Finished a very cold baseball season as assistant coach

Tami

• Changing poopy diapers, cleaning house, dishes . . .
  
• Started a fitness class
  
• Had an AMAZING birthday (Thanks Derek!!!) Have to expound here: My dream: to see Andrea Bocelli in concert (in Italy) My gift: Andrea Bocelli tickets (no, not in Italy :) )
  
• Bought a car!!!!!

Brendan

• Playing cars
• Accidentally shoplifting cars from DI
• Hitting, biting, poking sister
• Helping mommy & daddy vacuum, wash dishes, scrub toilets, laundry . . .

Brynlee

• Rolling all over
• Shaking her head no ALL THE TIME!!!
• wrapping Daddy tighter around her little finger
• Eating solid foods (yay!! No more blow out poos!!)

Here are a couple pics of the kids. My computer is having issues loading pictures from my camera, so when I get that figured out, I'll try to post more!

Dr. Phil

So, many of you would like to know when our neighbors are on Dr. Phil. Check out your Friday listings. I feel bad for this family. It will be interesting to hear what the good Doc says. Anyways, they are now moving to the Midwest. Coincidence or are they running away? I hope she listened to what he had to say, although, from comments she made afterwards, suggestions fell on deaf ears. We don't like to hear what we do wrong, but when you are reaching out for help, it's worth paying attention. I don't have time to post anything else, I'm running behind and have to get Derek to Logan at three, so we will post when I have time. Does that ever happen?