Brooke Emerson

This is late but I need to post a Happy Birthday to my BROOKIE!!


The big 3 has included a lot of changes for this little girl. We said bye bye to the bottle. And we said good bye to diapers. Yea big changes for a THREE year old. Mom still misses the bottle and diapers at times. but after having really strange looks at church when Brooke was chugging her 8 0z. I thought I better take the memo and call it quits. But Brooke seems to have adjusted quite well.

Brooke loves to wash her hands with soap and water. I usually can find the just sinking running in the bathroom. Brooke also loves babies and animals. She has quite a big foot for a three year old. She is in a size 9 1/2. anyways we love our Brookie!

all photos taken by sunny wright photography.

My friend Sunny Wright to these photos. She did such a great job. Thanks Sunny.

They are HERE

All the grand kids went running out the door when they saw my mom and dad pull up. It was so cute! It seems just like yesterday when I saw that suburban drive off to W. V.






Tayden and mom having a sweet moment.



Mom and dad meeting the twins for the first time. It is just such a good feeling to know my mom and dad are home.!

Happy Halloween

We had a Daphne and a Velma...but then only a Daphne and Velma morphed into Mickey mouse...oh and Wonder Woman made a appearance too.

My sister-in-law and her family were the Incredibles. Dash and Violet were missing in action..but how adorable were they! And I loved Jeremy's mom as Edna. She pulled that costume together last minute. You guys were awesome!!

Ezra's brother was the Guerrilla. So funny!! They kids loved it!

Ezra loaded up the girls on his parent's four wheeler to go trick or treating.
Darn Mickey kicked Wonder Woman off the front seat.

Hope you all had a great Halloween!

OUR JACK'S

Am I really the first to post about pumpkin carving? wow that is a first. anyways ezra is really the champ here in this story. He carved brookies pumpkin and helped saved Kate's pumpkin from Hatchet Hayley.

Brooke's pumpkin is a witch. Don't worry we did not come up with this idea on our own. But none the less..very cute.

Now kate wanted to do this one. She saw it on line. Disturbing. She cried when I told her I thought it looked disgusting. She then came out of her room and said "mom if I don't put blood on the pumpkin and pencil through the eye, then will you like my pumpkin?" Obviously she changed her mind and did not really value my opinion.

Our neighbors came over and Carrie did this awesome pirate. She put us to SHAME.

There you have it. our pumpkins. and now I want to see yours!

So I wondered.....what if I post huge adorable pictures of my kids...would I like them any better???



ok so I have ZERO photo skills..I really don't even like pulling out the camera because I swear I can never take decent shot of my kids...but with a little cropping help from my sister in law dedre...they turned out ok and for only 8.95 at Costco I don't really care about them being perfect.
and has far as liking them better...it Defiantly helps!

TY's home!

My oldest brother Troy and his family. Ty is finally home!! We missed this guy soooo much. Our family gatherings were just not quite the same without Ty. Two missions down and three more to go! The joy of having 5 boys.

Fall Salmon 09

Dad, Ezra thought you would like to see this one. He thought this would be a really good family picture...and just photo shop the rest of us in.

FIVE and so ALIVE

Ok so kate had little friend birthday party. I was not going to do one since we have SOO much family that live here, but I did. Every year I say I not going to do another birthday party but I always do. I guess I will just keep on lying to myself.

Kate request was french toast. I know I am such a fun festive mom. I mean who would have thought to stick candles in french toast. GENIUS! I know someone on one of those "famous crafty blogs" is going to post this idea. Thats fine if you do but just make sure I get the credit.



Kate and Brooke LOVE, HEART, (whatever you want call it) to ride their bikes. So ezra came up with the idea to let them have a little bike ride for kate's birthday. So we did just that. The kids loved it.

Seriously, who could not have fun fetti cupcakes at their birthday? And as ugly as these were you better believe they were all devoured. That is the wonderful thing about kids. THEY DON'T CARE!!!

Lunch time Menu
Smuckers p.j pre-made sandwiches
Pringles Chips
Gushers
Grape Juice.
I promise I was going to stick apples in there...but then that would totally mess with my Processed Food Lunch Theme.

Brooke still letting me know who is in charge.

opps..someone else got a barbie too...

Fantastic Fairy barbie. Kate is really that excited.



Olive Garden is where kate wanted to go because she loves their mac and cheese shells!




And we are in harmony. I will let everyone in on a little secret. Just buy the sibling a present too. My mom always did that for us. It really is wonderful. I think we have doubled our barbie collection by two fold now..but everyone is happy.

first stiches.....

Brookies first stitches. I really don't know how it happened. mom was gone and dad was mowing the lawn. so according to kate, brookie was spinning around and hit her eye on some furniture. But I have to say I was really proud of my brookie. She teared up when they gave her the shot but she did really good for the rest. I just kept promising ice cream and barbies. anyways now me and her are scar sisters...(i too have a scar on my eye.) but lets hope brookes heals up a lot better than mine...

BIRTHDAY number 5.

Yep it is time for the birthday post. KATE has finally turned five. She has been waiting for this moment "forever". In her words "mom why does it take so long for me to turn 5".

Here are five things about kate that I bet you didn't know.

1. Kate loves to eat salmon and Steelhead with her daddy.

2. Kate loves Scooby doo! esp. Daphne

3. Kate loves to sing, esp. "marry me Juliet, you never gonna be alone, I love you and that's all I really know....." why? I try to protect her from this kinda of stuff but I guess if Taylor Swift stays being a nice girl and keeps her clothes on we are a fan.

4. She is her daddy's buddy. They have a special little bond. (last night I found kate laying on his stomach while they were both listening to his i-pod and belting out the words to their favorite song.

5.Kate loves watching Penguins of Madagascar with her dad. (he loves it too.)

I can't believe it has been 5 years. I was thinking about it today how scared I was when I brought her home from the hospital and thinking"what have I done!" and never thinking that I would ever sleep again..but YES it was worth it. Of course. We LOVE her so much and could not live without her!


so here is the birthday party pics.



This a pre-birthday party at my mom's house. It was Casen's birthday and Brenden and Kate have the same Birthday.






I believe that Casen was the one that scored on the birthday cake. But I do too love the Barbie birthday cake.

Believe it or not but I don't think there was crumb left when tubba got all done with his 3rd Piece.

Birthday boy as SWEET AS CAN BE...no I never naughty.

Papa bear with his little cubs...

JIlly, Casen, and Brookie. Don't you just love the look on Casen's face..."I know can be a stinker but I am just so darn CUTE."

Brooke wearing and stealing kate's present from Anut Cindy....

had a great time with family. I love it because it my family almost everyone has a birthday buddy..so we end up celebrating more that just one birthday...guess just a perk of having an oversized family!

I will do another post on kate's friend birthday party....

for pam

OK I guess I am NOT shutting this thing down..but I do think I am going to give this blog a new title...JUST FOR PAM. (my most sweetest sister ever)

anyways so lets just carry on and pretend I never mention anything....

The MISSION FIELD

Kate and I were able to back to West Virgina to visit my parents. We had a wonderful time being with mom and dad. I told Kate that she better soak this up because she will probably never get this one on time ever again with grandma and grandpa.

Elder and Sister Hartley at the airport.
....doesn't dad look good! he has become quite the heath nut.

Now people in W.V have the quite the animal collection. These people have little Pygmy goats and miniature horses. plus dogs and cats.

This a little souvenir that someone back in w.v gave my mom and my mom so graciously gave it kate....yes kate was in LOVE.

This Lady's name Peggy Osmond and she is blind. She was really amazing. She could play the piano and had a beautiful voice. She makes up her own music. She even cut a record in Nashville. She has three girls and she told us that when they were little she would tie bells on their feet to hear them. She said when they got older they would take the bells off! She was a real inspiration.

Want a snowball? Have to use the restroom? No problem!!
Now this is what you call and 2 for 1 Deal!

Another souvenir grandam bought Kate. Want one? Walmart's your store!

District meeting with mom and dad.

This store was named after my mom and dad. really it was. but don't get too excited- it still has not opened......

Kate made a little friend. She loved playing with her inside her camp trailer.

This little lady is from England and she has a little tea shop. We had a little tea party. She let Kate use this little tea set and filled it with lemonade.

I realized that my mom and dad are doing the most important work they could ever do. There really is no greater call then bringing people to Christ. My testimony was reinforced as I saw the light of Christ change hearts and lives. I am so grateful for this experience.