Flashback Friday!

Can't believe that first picture up there is of my little 1-year old Brooks last summer, goodness what a little ball of sweetness! And now he's my big-boy Brooks...with a head full of curls that I wasn't sure he would still have. 

Oh how I love that boy.

Well, today we went to our favorite splash pad with Kira, Grant, and Avery (our other favorite Aves). First time this summer, and what a great afternoon! Ava was a trooper, just smiling away and ended up falling asleep in my arms. Brooks was uneasy at first about doing more than watching the water splash on the concrete and on all the little kids running around in their cute swim suits. He mainly just wanted to play on the playground nearby...but it was oh-so hot and I was glad he eventually remembered how much he loved the cool water, and the only way I got him to leave was bribing him with his beloved, err, my iphone. ;)

And before my little sweet pea fell asleep...

I snatched a pic of her big grin and chunky-monkey thighs. LOVE.

Happy Weekend everyone!!

Welcome Home Danner!

MISSIONARY:

Someone who leaves their family for a short time,

so that others may be with theirs for Eternity.

Adam's younger brother Danner, the last of all seven children in his family to have served missions, returned home from serving a mission for our church.  He was gone for 2 years in Fresno, California...sharing the Gospel and inviting people to learn of Christ and His plan of happiness for us. Can you tell the family was pretty giddy at the airport waiting for him to come down those stairs??  It is awesome having him home! He was such a good kid...and now such a good man. :)  When he left 2 years ago, Brooks was almost exactly the ago of Ava now. So Danner came back to a big-boy Brooks, and got to meet his niece Ava for the first time. :)  We can't wait to catch up more and enjoy his time home before he heads to school in the fall.

Welcome Home Danner!!

little photos of little moments

In no particular order...those were little photos of little moments from the past few weeks that have made life pretty wonderful. Not perfect, but definitely wonderful.

Mama to-be Lindsey

Saturday afternoon Ava and I went to the most lovely baby shower for a sweet friend of mine.  Gorgeous Lindsey is expecting a baby boy at the end of July and I am SO happy for her!  She and her husband Jed, a childhood friend of Adam's, are two of our favorite people...yet we don't see them nearly enough, and I think we need to change that. Maybe another Texas Roadhouse and deep dish cookie a la mode night soon. :)  We absolutely know they are going to be awesome parents. 

After enjoying delicious food, fun shower games, and watching Lindsey open up presents (goodness I can't get enough of darling baby boys clothes!) I picked Brooks up from spending some time with Daddy at work, and we headed home. As soon as we walked in the door, Brooks wanted to help me get little, crying Ava out of her carseat...and he loved on her 'til she was all smiles! I about melted into a puddle on the floor. And it's little moments like that that get me over-the-moon excited for Lindsey to become a mother. <3

A sunset walk and a quote

{ These pictures are from June last year...Adam and I had put Brooks in his PJs, then cozied him up in the stroller for a little family walk to see the sunset on the mountain just east of our home.  The view was breathtaking. I was pregnant with Ava then, but don't even think we knew it yet. }

The past few Sundays I have been teaching Sunday school at church to the 16 and 17 year olds in our ward/congregation.  I have loved it! And today I thought I'd share a quote that really touched me from a lesson a couple weeks ago about having a change of heart and receiving Christ's image in our countenances. 

“The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. … The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.” 

-- Ezra Taft Benson

Happy Sunday everyone!