IN A NUTSHELL??

Hello Fellow Bloggers, Family and Friends.....

I have barely blogged at all this summer and I am prepared to post lots of pictures and stories to prove that yes, we are alive and kicking, and yes we have had a very fun, eventful and a great first summer in our first home! The question remains, are you prepared to follow us on this journey of picture vomiting and story spewing! Let's dive in, shall we? 

St. George!

We went to St. George in July to celebrate Victor's 50th birthday! Ty and I decided to go down early to stay with Opa and Oma Lawrence so we could spend some time with them and they could get to know Brynlee a little better! They live in a beautiful home that overlooks the Virgin River and I must say, I went on a morning run about 6:50 and there is nothing like running the trails next to that river! It was so amazing! On Wednesday, when everyone else came down, we went on an evening walk to a park, played around and had some fun. 

Ty's face looks a little funny/blurry in this one but I couldn't resist!

Since these 2 brothers hardly ever have anything to say or do with each other it was quite the moment to see this. They were doing the same thing! Weird! Again, I apologize for the blurriness.

We brought Britt with us so she could help with the little ones while we went a few places to celebrate. She was such a sport and it was fun to have her come with us. 

I think anywhere we go, from now on, we will have to take our clubs and do some golfing. 4 of us went, of course I took last, golfing with these champions but to my saving grace, I was only 4 strokes, or so, behind the next to last person.... I won't say who that was. I have to say, it's the first time I've seen Victor golf and he is really good! Especially for not having golfed for awhile! Once you find your swing I guess it's like riding a bike right? 

 TUACAHN and TARANTULAS!!!

We got to see 2 shows this year. Grease and Little Mermaid. (Ty graciously gave up his ticket to Little Mermaid so Britt could come have the 'Tuacahn' experience!) They were both great shows but Little Mermaid was definitely the favorite! Little did we know that the show wasn't over when we left the amphitheater. Oh no, both nights I encountered (by encountered I mean saw or almost stepped next to) a tarantula while innocently walking to the car! I was MORTIFIED!!!! And that's an understatement! Ugh, it's still gives me the heebie geebies!

 FAT MAN'S HELL!

We visited Pioneer Park and apparently there's a little canyon where you can hike through it, but only if you're skinny enough to not get stuck or if you can suck in your breath enough to get through it! The pictures didn't turn out well enough to actually be able to see how much of a slim fit it is. 

I have to document this picture. No she is not sunburned!!!! Any time she gets hot her cheeks turn BRIGHT RED and the look on her face now is just priceless because she was so tired and I could tell she was just done with this hiking trip we decided to take in the middle of the day in the middle of summer in St. George! You can tell we're visitors only because NOBODY goes out of their houses after like 11am til 5 or something down in St. George! IT WAS SO HOT!

So to conclude the St. George trip recount, we had a blast! It was our major vacation this year and for some reason anytime Ty and I go to St. George we always buy shoes..... I got some sweet new running shoes (which I was in dire need of) and Ty also needed to replace his shoes because they were falling apart and smelled like BUTT! It was almost a week  long trip for us and it was so nice to just get away! I loved it! Maybe when we're rich enough we will buy a condo down there and be able to go all the time! In my dreams right!

SUMMER OF SOCCER

Ty is seriously THE MAN! I envy his skills, oh wait and his speed! This year we have played so much soccer it's craziness! I play twice a week and Ty has played almost every Saturday since April. I am now 10 games in a row in which I have scored at least one goal! This is a HUGE accomplishment for me considering I was never a goal scorer but a play maker! It's an awesome feeling and I love this game!!!!!

 

Naturally Ty has to get hurt or else it wouldn't be considered a complete summer. He got hit pretty hard and has some major bruised ribs. Some of the other injuries would be ankles being cleated, several times and bumps and bruises of all sorts, pretty much everywhere!

Brynlee...... and the summer of pickiness!

Oh how I love my little girl! Look at that face! Her eating habits are somewhat less than admirable these days and we've taken to putting food in her mouth for her, since she won't do it herself. Yes, we force feed our kid! The funny thing is, she knows she can't take it out so she just lets it sit in there and dissolve, while she drools all over the place, crying and screaming. This usually lasts about 30 min per bite of food. Meal time is the highlight of my day! This is a sporadic thing that I never know to plan for or not. (Take notice of the bib, Princess right? Princess of Pickiness!) 

BIRTHDAYS

Ty's parents gave him a blower/vacuum mulcher for his birthday this year and he loves it.  I have yet to sneak a picture of him lounging in his antigravity chair my parents gave him, which is also a favorite thing of his to do. 

We celebrated both of their birthdays just a few weeks ago. Ok I won't lie, it was mostly Brynlee's party but Ty made his chocolate caramel brownies and he also got gifts so we were still celebrating his birthday too! It was the first fancy-to-do at the Thomas 3 household and I'll admit, it was so much nicer when I didn't have to do anything at parties but it was great to have family there to support and celebrate with! I tried to get a picture of everyone that came but we were missing a couple of key people! BRAYDEN and JUSTIN! We missed both of them but they're off doing great things so it's all good! The birthday was a huge success, my kid is spoiled and she knows it. 

The swing Kim gave her kept her immobile so we could open presents for a few minutes. 

The BOUNCE HOUSE is from Maga and Papa and it is HUGE! We had to take it down because Ty didn't want it killing his grass but what a cool present! 

Her cupcake was a little lion and she was super hesitant to dig in. (Who would with all of that frosting!) And let me clarify that even though I do not eat sweets, my child is not deprived of candy, cookies, cake, brownies, etc, by any means! I am a normal mom that tells my kid if she doesn't eat her meal, she can't have snacks or treats! 

Labor Day - DONUT FALLS

It was tiring. She konked out before the end. 

MISCELLANEOUS PICS

 I believe this was her attempt to get her daddy to dance with her. I didn't tell him that, no need to explain for those of you who know Tyler.

I have NEVER spray painted anything in my whole life! As you can see, I think it's pretty great! I just need to sand this baby in a few places and hang it up on the wall in my kitchen! Maybe hang some twig things on it and put some fabric in the empty panes.... who knows! As is would be cool too!

This picture is 'SO US'. It was the second picture we took and I told him to smile. That is the face he made. I'm trying to be sweet and he is trying to be funny. At least I've got him to the point where he doesn't duck out of pictures now! This is our 3rd summer together and life is getting better. It's stressful and crazy things happen all the time but we've learned that working together and being selfless is the best way to be happy and it's not easy to do ALL THE TIME. It's quite difficult but we're making it! Even if we struggle with things, this life isn't meant to be easy! 

Hope you've all enjoyed the pictures and the journey that goes along with. There is more to come, Brynlee's 2 year pictures, Family Pictures, I'm speaking in Stake Conference (go figure), running a 10k in October and much more with the Holidays fast approaching! I can't wait to celebrate Christmas in our own home this year! Oh and confession.... I watched Hocus Pocus about a week ago and I'm stoked for Halloween!