A Much Needed Update!!

This has been one crazy and busy two months!! I am so thankful for this time of year and the Christmas spirit that is around. I am so thankful for so many things this year! Some years are bumpy like this one and some years you don't ever want to end. But never the least you can always cound on your family and close friends! :)

Christmas was so much fun the girls are so into it. I was just so giddy and excited this year too, its funny how as a parent you can get that excited for your kids. Christmas Eve we spent with The Reads. We had a wonderful time; a delicious dinner, lots of talking, the beautiful Christmas carols that are sung (one of my favorite parts of Christmas Eve), and just being together. As we got home opened traditional PJ's which Brooklyn slept through it was much too late for her, so her sweet sister opened hers then gently placed them by her while she was alseep. Then Ashlyn too excited for bed watched many xmas movies until finally giving up at 1:00 yes 1:00 AM!!

Christmas morning came VERY fast for Brandon and I but so worth it. We heard the girls stir and we up and so excited. So Ashlyn was estatic that she got a Barbie and princess barbie. While Brooklyn spotted her new baby in a stroller and imediatly, being the crazy girl she is, starting driving it everywhere all over the presents and all. It was hard to get them to stop playing with each new thing to open to next but eventually they did and loved every minuet and present they recieved!

Christmas afternoon we spent with the Baileys! We went over and had traditional yummy scons and family games and fun! At 2:00 we got a call from Elder TYSON Bailey!!! We all were so thrilled to hear his voice....he has an accent! Yep and sounds so grown up, it was great to talk to him over the phone. So then the rest of the day was just family filled good times at the Bailey house! :) Thanks to all the family for such a wonderful Christmas!

Jordan is gone!

Earlier this month Brandon decided to get crazy and randomly list his truck for fun. Well like two days later someone asked him full price and Brandon of course not passing that up it was sold. Don't worry he being the car guy that he is, already had his eye on something in Seattle. So the boys decided to make it a last guys trip before Jordan left so Brandon, Jordan, and my Dad flew out in the morning then drove back that night. Good times!



So December 16th we took Jordan into the MTC! Crazy I am so close with him that it was hard seeing him go but I know its exactly what he needs in his life. And he had made the right decision of going and serving the Lord. So it was way different than dropping Tyson up. We had a car pass to get into the parking lot, pulled up to our number by the sidewalk, jumped out of the car, car him as many hugs as we could, took a few pics, and they said ok we will take care of him! And off he went pulling his suitcases into the MTC. We drove off thinking holy cow they weren't kidding when they changed it to "curbside" drop off! But we knew he was in good hands.

We love you Jordan good luck! You will be an amazing missionary! :)

Halloween & Fall Festivities

Happy Halloween!

My sweet princesses!

Brooklyn trying to see inside her pumpkin

Finding her way through the hay maze.

Ashlyn loved the Pumpkin Patch!

This fall has been quite fun. We went to the Linder Farms Pumpkin Patch for a little hay ride, kids fun rides and of course pumpkins! Halloween was really fun Ashlyn of course told me what her and Brooklyn should be... princesses! So Ashlyn was the lovely Cinderella and our little Brooklyn was Snow White. Ashlyn just loves to play dress up so this was super fun to get to put on real make up (not imaginary) and be princess for a night. We had fun getting ready and I actually was able to get Brooklyn's hair in a little flip like Snow Whites. Oh my girls are so much fun! So we started at the Reads and met up with Jonah and Aidan which were the cutest little dinosaurs! Then off to my parents to meet up with Alexa, Carson, Kobe, and Riley. Brooklyn was slightly scared of swamp man (Kobe) and Scary pumpkin man (Riley) but they all had so much fun trick or treating. Brooklyn thought she was so big to walk around with the big kids. So then we headed back to our house to meet up with our friends the Frogleys and Beals. Did some more trick or treating then had yummy cornbread and chilli and hung out! It was really fun this year.

Homecoming Dances

Aubrey & Chayse

MVHS Homecoming Hairstyle

Aubrey and Chayse

Centennial's Homecoming Hair



My sister is a senior this year and is dating a boy from Centennial so she was able to go to 2 Homecoming dances this year. Her dresses were so cute and I love doing fun hair styles, we had a blast spending time figuring out what hair worked best for what dress. And so these are the hairstyles that she went with. We thought they turned out pretty good. And I might add she looked so pretty at both dances! :) Love ya sis can't wait until your next formal dance.

Elder Bailey in the Making

Last Friday we were able to go through the temple with Jordan for the first time. It was a really neat experience! I am so thankful for him as my brother. We have always been close but it has been so much fun having him live with us for the past 7 months. Especially as he has been preparing to go on a mission. It has been really cool to see little changes and see his testimony grow. I am so glad he is my brother and for what a good example he is to me! I love you man! :)

Oregon Coast '09

Ashlyn after sliding in the sand!

Brooklyn not sure about getting dirty

The girls at Ozwald State Park Brooklyn insisted on holding Ashlyn's hand!


Girls at the Zoo

On the beach

This past week we went on our annual Orgeon Coast trip! We stayed in Cannon Beach it's near Haystack Rock and a cute little town with fun shops. It is so beautiful and relaxing! We had georgeous weather so the girls loved playing in the sand and chasing the waves! We started super early on Saturday we left at 4 am...crazy but Brooklyn in a car for that long...4am and a sleeping Brooklyn was great! So we stayed in Portland the 1st night and went to the awesome Porland Zoo. Unfortunately it rained pretty hard while at the zoo which we were prepared but Ashlyn kept asking to go play at the hotel. Funny how you spent so long driving to a vacation spot and the coolest thing is the hotel and the hotel pool. But what can you do. So then the rest of the time we spent on the coast. Taking walks, fires on the beach, making sand castles, and just enjoying family time. Brandons family was there too, it was great to spend some good time with such awesome inlaws!! Ashlyn loved playing with the boys! This year my brother Jordan came with us before he leaves on his mission. How great it was to have him come with us! We ended the trip trying to drive home late Friday but instead we got held up with some weird health problems I started to have unfortunately the last day of the trip. So after the doctor visit and lots of dramamean we were on our way home. Got safely back home at 4:30 am Saturday morning and slept in! We loved our relaxing family get-a-way!

Big Sister Book

Ashlyn has a favorite Big Sister book that she loves to read. She has it all memorized so she can read it to "Baby Brookley." She is so proud of herself, and of course, we think it is too darned cute!

Swimming Lessons!

Clara and Brooklyn having a picnic!

Ashlyn learning to dive

Look how cute they are!

Ashlyn posing to the camera!

These past couple weeks Ashlyn took swimming lessons at the Dunkley's. She had so much fun! Cooper and her were in the same class again which made it nice for them to have a friend in the class. By the end she was putting her face under water..yea! I was amazed she went off the diving board with a tube on but it still is progress. She was a little scared but she did it anyways I was so proud of her! It was super fun because one of my cute laurels, Lexi, was her teacher! Brooklyn loved playing on the toys and having a cute little picnic girlfriend playdate with Clara while the swimming classes were going on!

Boating Fun

Unfortunately I am not a good photographer ... Brandon just about ready to surf.

Me Surfing Yeah!

Grandpa and Captain Brooklyn

Me and Ashlyn...like Mother...like Daughter

Daddy and Our Little Flag Girl Ashlyn

Sun, food, swimming, boating, family, and friends! Sums up this past weekend. We went up to Lucky Peak for some good summer fun - and thats exactly how it was! It was our first time camping with the girls. We were a little nervousm,but we all survived and we actually want to do it again. Thanks to the Shraders and Johnsons for the awesome food...anything you needed they had! And the boating was a blast. I always forget how much I like boating. So we tried surfing for the 1st time. Brandon of course is already a pro and I surprisingly got up my 1st try. It was super fun! We can't wait to do it agian!

My cute little sister!

I took my sisters senior pictures for her. We had such a blast! She is so much fun to hang out with. I am glad for the past year it seem like we have become closer. Aubrey I can't wait for you to start your senior year it will be so much fun! Love ya... hope you like your pics!

Forth of July Festivities

Sisters!

The Hunters watching fireworks!

Brooklyn playing with the fireworks

Sparklers!!

This year we had our family over to our house just like last year! It was a pretty typical year some with some yummy desserts, thanks to Aubrey's cake and Mom's homemade ice cream! Tons of fireworks including Brandon's naughty ones, and lots of fun! Brooklyn didn't do too bad - just the loud ones she got a little scared. Ashlyn was still scared of all the fireworks except for the sparklers. I just get scared of the ones that go in the air (all because of last year). And of course you wonder where Ashlyn gets being scared from...me. But all in all it was super fun! Thanks for coming and celebrating the 4th Reads, Hunters, and Baileys! We love you guys!

Family Pictures!