Pick a Picture

Natalie did a fabulous job capturing our family. She really knows us and got some great candid shots! I am just having a hard time picking my favorite.

Want to do a collage of these

Family Favorites

Kids

Captured moments

Thanks for sharing your talent with us, Natalie!  I even looked good in a few of them, you are amazing :)!

My Natalie

Natalie spent her birthday weekend with me! I have been looking forward to this for a long time and even though it went too fast (it is never enough time) it was so fun. It just makes me miss her more and wish she was closer. We picked her up at the airport on Thursday night; Rianne was very excited to make her a sign that said Best Friend! We stuck her in the back seat with the kids; Ria fell asleep on her lap, while Heath held her hand. I sometimes don't like to share MY Natalie but it was cute.

They put on a little show for our guest



Friday, we took her out to dinner.



Saturday we surprised her with a little birthday party, with some new friends. She also met a relative (I swear everyone in Arizona is relatedJ).

 

 I was excited to make her a cake, Natalie collects strawberries and even if it turned out like a little girl cake it was fun.





I think everyone had a good time at the party.



Eat the cake Natalie!

 

loved this of Bruce!

Natalie shared her photography gift with us, by taking some family pictures. I'll share them when she gives them to me ;). On Monday we did some shopping and I took her to the airport, I fumbled at my inadequate expression of gratitude for her and our incredible friendship. I didn't even make it to her getting out of the car before I was in tears! Where are those dang Bank Tubes? (Inside joke).

We were roommates in college which means we have been friends forever! (Like 12 years right?) She has seen me through it all! Shared my greatest moments and picked me up from my greatest failures. We are in a continual conversation that most people couldn't follow if they wanted toJ. She is the strongest person I know and so incredibly talented. I am amazed that there are people who could meet her and not love her! People see her everyday and don't know they just walked by the most incredible friend in the world! I think everybody deserves to have a friend like Natalie, but this one is MY Natalie!





Fall is Frighteningly Fun

Fall is my very favorite season. While Brant was gone we had a little fall camp fire with friends. Here are the ladies (well a few little men are in the picture too!)


Tera, Annette, Lacey (down) me (up) Jamie, Kathrine



I thought it was ironically funny that when we got there the little boys immediately started throwing rocks into a big puddle. Minutes later we found the men throwing rocks as well, oh how they grow up!

We had a pumpkin carving party with friends And ridiculously fun food!

My fingers would have been funnier if little Bruce wouldn't have cut his fingers L

Look at this little "bag of bones" (Dryan) with some big bones (Tyson) So cute we couldn't get enough of him.

Brant was still in Alaska but Heath insisted we still carve a pumpkin. He turned out alright.

Here is the Jack-o- lantern with an undercover, secret agent platypus!

That is right Heath went as his favorite cartoon character—Agent P from Disney's Phineas & Ferb.

Dad was nice enough to dress up as Agent P's nemesis the Evil Dr. Doofenshmurtz

Here he is using his candy-anator

 The battle continues…

Ria was set on being a vampire, She looked great and it was much easier to put together than a platypus tail (Thanks Annette)

We had a good time at the ward Trunk or Treat.  A Fun Halloween night

 

9 and just fine



 This kid got to celebrate her birthday all week! Before dad left we let her open her present from Heath (so she could wear it to sing in the primary program) Every time we went to the mall she would check on this dress, and then say it's still not on sale, then when she saw it was on sale she was so excited but it was still too much money, she was pretty disappointed. One day I was with Heath and it was so cute he went over to the sales rack and said "mom its Ria's dress" I checked and finally it was reasonably priced so, I asked Heath if he would like to get it for her for her birthday. He was so excited to give it to her and even asked a few times if I remembered where it was, & requested just to see it, then he would exclaim I'm so excited; she is going to love it!



When Brant left he had an 8 year old daughter and we he came home she was 9! She cracked me up that morning I made her breakfast with her favorite (sausage & bacon).



While she was having breakfast she said "So I've been tempted for a year now right?" It took me a while to get what she was asking then I answered yes, Satan has been able to tempt you. To which she responded "I'm doing a pretty good job" Yes, Ria you are doing just fine, but there are more years ahead and hopefully every year you can respond with that. How grateful I am for this girl and her reminders. For me there have been some good years and some not so good years but with the Lords help I too am just fine!

I also took her class doughnuts and chocolate milk for her birthday. She was excited that her birthday came on crazy hat day at school.



Then I took her and a friend to the mall (most of their time was spent at Claire's, they picked out magnetic earrings and a mood bracelet.

I let her open a few presents sent to us thanks grandma Mary and Sienna!  She wanted to save some for when dad got home!

After dad got home with his surprises he brought the kids Alaskan huskies (stuffed animals) the kids were thrilled and then too add to a late night she couldn't wait to open her Alaskan birthday present from dad (porcelain doll)!



She also had no idea she was getting a real cowgirl hat. (From the boot barn, she has wanted it for a very long time).

With the dress, cowgirl hat and boots crossed off her wish list, who knows what she'll want for Christmas. She was so sweet and expressed her gratitude.



She wanted a bubble gum cake;



we let her invite 4 friends over for cake and ice-cream.



Hailey, Ria, Ginger, Ashlee



They had a good time playing bubble gum, bubble gum in a dish!



She is officially 9! She is the most helpful kid I know. I don't know what I'd do without her, especially while Brant was gone. I love how she says "mom don't mop the floor let me do it when I get home". Or how she asks if she can make dinner all by herself. She is a great big sister; I can't tell you how many mornings I got up to find Heath had climbed in bed with her sometime in the night. I see where I rank in the comfort giver for that kid ;). Her faith amazes me. She is so smart and I love how she always takes care of her homework without any reminders. 

clapping out the candle's

She looks like her dad and reminds me so much of Grandma Brown (a genuine care taker). She is a kind and thoughtful kid. Her teacher told me that once a month they get a "happy day" they can go to lunch early and take one friend with them. On her happy day she chose to take a little girl with special needs that was in a wheel chair. The teacher said it made the little girl very, very happy. (I cried happy tears, I was so proud of her)