You've had a birthday - shout hooray!

Mike turned 29 on friday and he got to celebrate 2 days in a row. On his actual birthday we met up with his family and ate at El Torito Grill - so good! It was fun because Dan & Liz were in town with their kids as well as Craig & Alice and Whitney & Blake. So it was a pretty big group with all of us including his parents and Jamie & Travis. The girls love being doted on by everyone and Mike enjoyed talking to his Dad & Uncles that night.

We went back to his parents for cake afterwards. Jamie let them wear all her jewelry for their "fashion" show and we had Brielle show everyone her super bark (which is hilarious by the way...I need to record her & post it) and jumped all over Blake the whole night. Poor Blake...Brielle took a while to warm up to him but now she won't leave him alone! She wanted him to lift her up over his head all night and he just (like 2 weeks ago) had tommy john's surgery on his arm. He was a good sport and just did what was she asked even though I told her a million times to leave him alone!!!! After our Utah trip this summer she has been going around telling everyone, did you know that Whitney has Blake? I'm talking about the people at Home Depot & the grocery store...random people. She cracks me up. The girls then had a sleepover with Whitney and they went to the zoo on saturday. They LOVE Whitney!
Then on saturday, after the zoo...we went out with my family to celebrate Mike's and David's birthday. We ate at Cheesecake factory at I cannot tell you how much I love the pasta da vinci. I crave it all. the. time. The first time I had it was years ago and I remember Lillie was saying how much she just loved it. So, I tried it - didn't really like it. But then tried it again because I love pasta. I love chicken madeira. I had to give it another chance. Second time, loved it. Now, I'm hooked. I just sounded like some crazy, pregnant craving mama right there. I'm not pregnant by the way in case you were wondering. Just crazy I guess.
Then had cake AFTER stopping by this crazy sale that these people down the street from my brother's new house. They bought the model home, and were selling all the furniture dirt cheap. I went like 3 days in a row and got more stuff each time. I told Mike "happy birthday honey, I knew you wanted some more furniture...right?" I think between me, my brother, my sister, my mom & a few people from our ward that we told about the sale - we wiped them out. Really. I am loving my new stuff though!
So Happy Birthday Baby!!! I often think that I lucked out, or either chose a really well mate. My brother in law (Chris) likes to tell Mike that he is just slave labor because he sees how much he helps out. I'm sorry you married a woman who lets you help with the dishes and laundry all you want! I'm also sorry that the minute you walk in the door the kids only want YOU to read to them, to take them potty, to wash their hands, to feed them...basically do everything for them...because they are tired of me by the end of the day (I'm only kind of sorry about that one though-it's nice to have a break every once in a while :). We love you and think you are the best!

4 going on 24

This little girl is far beyond her years. I have always known that, but here are a few conversations/examples that happened yesterday.

1. I was trimming her hair (and she insisted on reading a magazine while doing so...) and she asked me why I wasn't putting the papers and colors in it like I do to everyone else. I told her that she could have "colors" in her hair once she was in high school to which she replied "that's probably a good idea, I don't want to make such a big change so soon" (word for word).

2. We were in the car - she suddenly gasps and says "oh no! I forgot to turn the TV off upstairs before we left" I told her that I noticed it was on and & that I turned it off. She said "oh, I am SO glad. I was really worried about that". Really? You are 4!

3. Randomly, she asks me if when she gets older and has a baby if she is going to need her stomach cut open. I told her no, hopefully not. She asked me why I had to have my stomach cut open when I was pregnant then. I kind of tried to explain what happened. The thing that got me was how perceptive she was to everything that had happened months ago & that she still remembered it! It's like she had really thought all her questions through.

4. Brielle didn't want to get in the car yesterday so I told her I was going to leave her home(great parenting skills, I know) Brooklyn started crying because she didn't want her to be left at home alone & offered to stay home with her....that offer didn't last long though.

Brooklyn no longer wants the kid cups or spoons. She wants the big plates and forks. She wants to pick out her own clothes and how her hair is styled. She only wants to watch people shows (not cartoons) & follows her older friends around like they are the best thing on the planet. You are only fffooouuuurrrr my sweet young thing! Isn't she too young for all of this? Why is it that we want so bad to be older than we are but then when we realize that we are "older" we want it reversed? Just bask in your 4 year old-ness while you can!

NewPOrt BEacH!!!!

Last week we were in Newport with my family. We slept in every day, didn't get ready till we darn well felt like it, and had nowhere to be except the pool and the beach with a few activities here and there. The girls LOVED having Daddy home the whole week - as did I :) Today is officially the end of summer in our household because tomorrow Mike starts Seminary and once school starts summer is over, right? Brooklyn's favorite parts of the week included feeding the fish (and maybe falling in the pond...just once), playing in the waves and sand, and sleeping and playing at the hotel. Brielle's favorite parts of the week were going down the slides (at the fair), chasing the birds at the beach (she did it for hours!!!), and playing in the pool. Here are a few of the highlights...in order to avoid picture overload:

I just washed my hair with toothpaste!

We're in Newport this week. So relaxing but so busy at the same time. It's the first time Mike has taken any time off since Nov. 1st of last year. It's been nice that he can join in on our fun :) I've been so tired this week because we have been busy doing things and I haven't been sleeping well at night. The bed is smaller, the pillows are harder - there's nothing like your own bed, ya know? Marriott's are nice...but I still prefer my own bed. We got back from a bonfire tonight and I'm in the shower washing my hair but I forgot to bring my shampoo in so I grab the girl's stuff. I'm thinking how sticky this shampoo is but don't realize that I had just used watermelon toothpaste on my hair until I couldn't get the stuff rinsed out. DUH! You'd think I would be able to tell the difference between toothpaste and shampoo...