Swimming with family

Kerri had to finish up some wedding stuff so we all did Kaci's favorite activity and Forrest's least favorite acvitiy, SWIMMING

Dad off in the itty bitty shade 

Rylee is one of those rare children that loves to stick her face in the water. We kept trying to get her to blow out and do bubbles but she just wanted to stick her face in the water and laugh about it. 

Kaci is a mermaid and can swim like crazy

She can even do a handstand. This girl is awesome!

Just keep swimming swimming swimming ...

Rylee liked swimming too

She was pro at kick kick kicking

Mom sat on the side with Forrest spraying everyone. Forrest would not get in the pool but he loved squirting people.

Rylee LOVED that her daddy didn't yell at her for splashing and thought GG was awesome that he could do BIG BIG splashes

Splashing war

Kaci was ridding on my back while I saw back and forth. I love being an aunt and getting to do stuff like this. Makes me feel like Aunt Marsha.

Later that evening we went up the canyon and had a fire with smores. I love driving up the canyons in Utah. They are so pretty! Rylee is big into pushing strollers and Forrest was not a fan of her pushing his around so he would get it while she pushed him, with the brakes on. 

Talking with a fire going has to be one of my top favorite things to do.

Dad kept teasing Kaci. She is such a sport and put up with him all weekend.

My friend Bre was home from Japan for a few weeks so we planned on meeting in Utah so we could see each other. I got to meet her sweet little man Brayden. He looks just like his daddy. He was so happy. I just fell in love with his goofy little smile.

Why yes our children are pretty much the same size. Brayden is 4 months old at 18 pound and Rylee is 14 months old at 22 pounds. 

And just cuz she is cute I included Rylee's Pebble hair due!

Oh and BJ has been dying for a piano and found a free one on craigslist. The lady said, "It's a piece of junk come get it out of my garage." We said GLADLY and got this beautiful piece that actually plays quite well.  BJ and Rylee are so excited to get it into the house to start playing it. 

Family pictures

Not sure who that little boy is but we all look dang good I think! Just missing the Howards! Maybe someday we can get an entire family picture again.

Daddy and Rylee. I. Love. Them!

Gotta love her non smiling face.

I love love love love this pose. Our colors are crazy because I didn't plan our outfits but I love it. Its bright happy and I love this pose!

I love feet pictures!

Her cuteness kills me sometimes

LOVE her smile! 

I have tried to take family pictures since before Rylee turned 1. The photographers up here just didn't want my money I guess. Thankfully my talented sister Kerri has a nice camera and has been playing around with learning the gadgets and took some very cute picture. You don't know how happy I am to actually have a picture with all three of us in it and look nice. Thanks Kerri!

My baby isn't a baby

Rylee is quite the little scientist these days. She still is the perfect child but is more willing to sit and look at new things, figure out where thing go, try new things, and always repeat what we do.

We have already started watching what we say because she tries to say everything we do. Her vocab is at least 20 words. I'm not sure others could understand what she says but we know what she means. I'm amazed at watching her and seeing the wheels turning.

I love these two people. They make life amazing. BJ has been the best stay at home dad this semester. Rylee is just as attached as I am to him. We have the best husband/daddy around!

My little ham! She loves to make people laugh. If someone is laughing she will always give a curtsey laugh and keep doing whatever it was to keep them laughing. 

Sunday Favorite

Our peas finally came in. BJ made me plant a ton because him and Matt loved sitting in his mom's garden eating peas as little boys. When the first big batch came in he called up his brother and had him come eat the peas with him. I was surprised at how much better they are then regular store bought peas. We will for sure always plant a ton so we can just sit and eat them. 

Rylee loves peas. Daddy taught her how to eat them out of the pod so we are only allowed to open the pod and she pulls them out.

Our peas are dying cuz we have a slug problem. We gave the rest to Rylee because they weren't sweet anymore. She still loved them. We taught the slugs a lesson though by capturing some and putting salt on them. It was cool but super sad to watch.

For the past month our Sunday activity has been to have a fire. It started with us wanting to go camping and just camping in the back yard. We love having a fire and it gets cool at night so a fire is still perfect. Rylee will sit in her chair the whole time relaxing. She is queen of kicking back in a chair. Last week we did tin foil dinners so we did it again this week. BJ gets free wood and hamburger meat from the farm so we always have plenty to enjoy. We also have smores and have been discovering all the great ways to eat them. This week was reeses peanut butter cup smores. YUM! We could only get one because they are super rich but super yummy. 

We love Idaho weather! We can enjoy a fire in the middle of summer! LOVE IT!

Demolition Derby

For a fundraiser the search and rescue puts on a Demolition Derby. We are big car people so we were pretty excited. I wasn't sure how Rylee would handle it because it can get pretty loud. Pretty much she is a car person too and loved it.

Any time the cars came out and started hitting each other she had to sit with her dad. One more thing that makes them more and more alike.

She clapped the entire time. Clapping is pretty much the best thing ever right now so she had a blast. She cheered on the batmobile, she cheered on pretty much any car that smashed into another car. She laughed the whole time and didn't cry once. Her cousin Lilli on the other hand didn't have as much fun.

Best holiday the 4th

BJ said old navy shirts are the best so thats what we sported this year

Notice rylee is playing with the powerade bottle. Bottles are the new coolest thing right now.

We went out to Driggs on Saturday for their fireworks. So glad we did. We love walking around looking at classic cars, eating fried food, and watching hypnochick and others perform. It was out on a golf course so we got a great spot to lounge around on while we wait for the fireworks.

Rylee found a doggie her size

Do you see the pure joy in her face. I think I'm going to lose the battle of no dog ever.

Yet again with the bottle. She loves pulling the cap off and putting it back on. 

She wasn't a huge fan of the big booms when the fireworks started but afterwards all she could say was boom boom and point in the sky.

That's when she found the moon and said moon the rest of the night while pointing to it.

On the 4th we met up with Matt, Camille, Lilli, and sarah (camille's sister) for the parade down main street. It was good parade and BJ even caught a cup of frozen yogurt for me. Rylee loved it and waved the entire time and clapped for everyone.

coolest thing ever!

A semi was pulling a trailer that had a trampoline and high jump pit pad on the end. SO cool

Brothers can't help but play when they get together. They were going out to get wet by the national guard. They also bought lots of fireworks to set off. Good thing too because Rexburg's show was super lame! Rylee got in on the action too.