Sunday Afternoons

After the busy weeks of summer, we really like to lounge on Sunday afternoons. It is for sure the best day of the week and not just because we get to take turns taking naps. We get to spend lots of time with just our family.

Another Photo shoot

This is another photo shoot brought to you by Addy!
Brayden at 5 weeks.

I was even lucky enough to be a part this time.

I just love a sleeping baby. So cute!

Thank you Addy for documenting your brothers life with pictures galore.  What would we do without you!

Morning Faces

His 'normal' face.

Startled

Happy!  We like this one the best.

And sad.

All in a matter of a few minutes.

Splash Park

I have been wanting to bring Addy to the splash park all summer but it is always so crazy busy during the day.  One evening Mitch got home from work a little early so I planned an early dinner and then we headed over to the park.  It was still fairly busy but nothing compared to the afternoons. That also meant it wasn't as hot so this little girl was freezing after 5 minutes.  She was a trooper though and still wanted to play even though her lips were turning blue and her whole body was shaking and shivering.

Her favorite part was the yellow slide because she could dunk her head under at the bottom.

This little man just chilled in the shade.

She still has to close her eyes and walk up the stairs sideways because of the water splashing everywhere.

Dad even walked over and got us an ice cream to share.  Maybe he should've gotten some hot chocolate too!

Brayden blessing

We were lucky enough to bless our little man on July 7th which was at the same time as the family reunion.  So lots of family were around to support Brayden on his special day.

I decided to make it a tradition after Addy was born to make all my kids blessing outfits.  When we found out we were having a boy I knew that I was going to have to sew a bow tie to be like his dad.  Then I went searching online for little boy church clothes patterns (which there really isn't much of).  I did find a cute vest on the make it and love it website and went with that idea.  Finding white boyish fabric was also difficult.  I had to go to the fabric store many times before I came across this pinstripe.  After it was all finished I was very happy with how it turned out.  The best part was it fit him since he was so tiny.

Don't they look similar?

Mitch did a great job with the blessing and I really tried not to bawl the whole time so I could remember some of the things said.  Two of my favorites were that he would turn to his family members examples when struggles arose and also that he was blessed to have a keen mind and a tender heart.  It was a great meeting and I even had the courage to stand and share my own testimony of the Savior and the strength I was able to find in His atonement at we struggled to bring this little man into our family. 

This was the sign Ben helped the girls make the day before.

Our growing family...just missing Tyler.

Everyone that came to support.  

This really was a special day for our family.  I am so excited and lucky to be the mom to such a special little spirit.

celebrating our independence

A quick run-down of our 4th of July.  

It pretty much included us inviting ourselves to a few gatherings.

The only thing we had officially planned for the day was the Idaho Falls parade in the morning.

Some of the crew for the parade.

Have you ever seen a camel in a parade before? This was a first for me.  It even peed in front of us for like 5 minutes...the kids thought it was pretty cool.

They even had the baby but it was a little tired of walking.

After the parade we ended up at a relative, of a relative, of a relatives house.  Needless to say it was someone we didn't know and we showed up anyway for a BBQ.  You can't celebrate the 4th of July without a BBQ it just wouldn't be American.

That afternoon we debated about sticking around for the firework show that night. With a new baby I didn't want to fight the crowds or be out that late so we headed back home.  We ended up once again inviting ourselves over to our neighbors to play in the water and eat dinner. 

Addy wanted to pose for the camera.

And another pose.

Once it started getting a little dark we put jammies on the kids and started with the parachutes.  I really didn't think they would even work because we bought the cheaper ones at the stand.  Turns out they all worked and some of them even had two chutes.  

Once it really got dark we put on quite a great show since we combined fireworks with several families on our street.  It was great to be home and socialize with people in our neighborhood since we are always gone on the 4th.