Independence Day Week

This past week has been fun, we've been able to spend a lot of time with family.  I'll start with Tuesday.  Up here in Logan they always do the firework show on the 3rd.  We went with Josh and Megan to a field across the street from our house which was nice because we avoided the 1+ hour drive home we would have been facing if we had gone anywhere else.  I had bought some glow sticks earlier that day and Avery had fun playing with them.  She also liked the fireworks.  Yay!  You never know, she liked them last year, but that could have changed!  The moon came up over the mountain during the fireworks and Avery kept calling it a ball.  It was super cute!

cutie patootie at the firworks

The next morning we drove down to Pleasant View and had a 4th of July breakfast with my side of the family.  We used to do this every year, but as we've all grown up and got married we've stopped.  It was so good to do it again.  A lot of people were able to come.  We enjoyed some delicious scones, fruit, biscuits and gravy, eggs, and much more.  Avery had thrown up that morning and we almost didn't go, but she was acting normal so we did.  She was pretty clingy though and has been ever since.

The boys playing basketball

Matt, Valery, Uncle Dennis, and Dad

Charissa talking to Elizabeth

After the breakfast we went back to my mom and dad's house.  The boys later went golfing and the girls and kids (minus Trey, he went golfing with the boys) played in the water.  Charissa and Sarina bought a slip n' slide and a swimming pool.  I totally thought I would get a break from holding Avery (like I said she was really clingy and didn't let me put her down much) because she LOVED water and running through the sprinklers.  I was wrong, she didn't want anything to do with it and the only time I got to put her down was when we took a break to eat popsicles.

Chase's awesome slip n' slide face

See what I mean?  What a grumpy butt

After a while Avery and I left to go visit my friend Kristy at her mom's house.  Kristy is pregnant with her first baby, a little boy.  She is 35 weeks and due on August 9th.  She is one of my first friends to have kids so it's super exciting to finally have someone to talk mommy stuff to!  Her mom had fun watching the two of us together and said, "the babies are having babies!"

Kristy at 35 weeks and me at 27 weeks

Avery and I went back to my mom's house and had dinner then I left to do a little shopping with Charissa and my mom.  It was extremely nice to have a break from Avery.  We left for home before the fireworks because Avery had been woken up from her nap early and was wouldn't of had a good time.  She fell asleep within 15 minutes of our drive home.

Yesterday some of my family came up for the Cruise-In.  Every year in Cache Valley there's a car show and on the last day of the show all the cars that want to can drive down main street and have a little car parade!  Josh had his trailer and grill parked in front of the library saving our spot and everyone brought a treat to share.  It's fun!

A green Delorean??  That's a first!

A Jeep Liberty.  I don't know why they wasted the money
to enter it into the show.

This was the first car we saw break down.  It over heated.
They ended up pushing it into a parking lot and not getting
it started again

Jake and Celestial in the cruise-in!

That was our week!  It was full of fun and family, just the way we like it!  I hope everyone had a fun Independence Day week!

Manti Pageant

This weekend Louis and I were able to go to the Manti Pageant.  We were invited by some of Louis' older siblings.  I was excited!  With Louis' work and school schedule we don't get to do too many exciting things.  My sister Charissa is in town and she watched Avery for us, isn't she so nice!  Before getting to Manti we stopped at Yuba State Park to have a picnic and swim.  The water was beautiful and cold which was amazing on that hot hot day.

After we were done being in the water we showered and headed out on our way to Manti!  Along the drive we could see smoke coming up over the mountains from one of the fires down south.

When we got to Manti we saved some seats then set up our tents in the park.  Then we headed over to the church for a pretty delicious dinner!  I was surprised, I wasn't expecting the meal to be very good, but it was great.  Then we stopped to get a sno-cone!  ("Free sno-cone at the end of the game" guess how many times that was said)

The last time I went to the pageant was five years ago so I was excited to see it again.  Louis had to work a 12 hour shift the day before and hadn't gotten any sleep before the pageant.  This means he was going on 28 hours of no sleep.  Needless to say, he fell asleep within the first half hour!  That's okay, he was with me and that was all that mattered.  The pageant was good, I had a few favorite parts.  The first one was when Joseph was talking about eternal families.  That just always makes me happy.  I'm so grateful for the knowledge I have of eternal families and that I've been sealed to Louis in the temple.  It means everything to me that I get to spend eternity with him and that our children are sealed to us.  I can't imagine a life without them.  My next favorite part was when Jesus came to the Americas.  It made me think of what it's going to be like when I see Christ again.  The whole time he was there I just kept thinking I want to be able to run up to Christ and give him a huge hug.  The last thing wasn't a favorite part, it's just something that stuck out to me.  They said the word remember a lot in the pageant.  It just got me thinking of the people in my life that once believed in the gospel and somewhere along the line they forgot.  For whatever reason, they just don't believe anymore.  It's sad.  I wish they'd soften and open their heart and remember.  I think I need to make a special effort to remember the special things that happen in my life and the spiritual experiences I have had.

After the pageant we headed back to the park and talked for a little bit then went to bed!  6 hours later Louis and I were woken up by a stupid rooster that wouldn't stop crowing.  Seriously, it was crowing for about 2 hours.  Finally we decided to just get up and get ready to head home.  It was lots of fun to have a little mini getaway!

Shooting Range

On Saturday Louis and I went to the shooting range up here in Logan.  It was lots of fun and my first time shooting outside of girl's camp, ever!  It was my first time shooting a hand gun as well.  I was kind of nervous.  Is that silly?  When we pulled up to the building and a gun fired I jumped!  Then another one fired and I jumped again!  I got used to it after that though!  We went inside and paid then got some targets.  We started inside and the targets were super far away I felt like.  I couldn't even tell if I was shooting the target or not.  When we pulled it in I had been hitting the target.  I didn't do too awesome, but not bad either!  We then went outside to shoot.  I liked it outside a lot better.  I did a lot better out there.  Mainly because we could have our targets closer!  I had a good time and liked being out with Louis and him teaching me something new.  Here are some pictures of our fun time.

Please don't feel the need to comment on my form!  It was
 my first time shooting!

The people next to us had these creepy people targets.
Later a worker came and told them they were illegal there
and they had to fold them over so the head wasn't showing
So then they were shooting decapitated people.

Child Labor

I saw this thing on Pinterest that said, "Cleaning the house while kids are around is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos."  Or something like that.  You get the point though.  If you try cleaning while a child is around you'll just be going in circles cleaning up.  So that being said, I usually clean while Avery is napping!  (This doesn't include picking up her toys, but housework cleaning)  I got to thinking though, if I ever want her to learn and help out, she needs to see me cleaning.  So this past week I've been cleaning while Avery is awake encouraging her to help me and showing her how to help me.  It's been fun watching her be so enthusiastic about it!

Her favorite thing to do is mop, she gets a little sad when we're done and I put the mop away.  She wasn't really interested at all in dusting, but she really liked spraying the dusting spray!  She also will not vacuum!  She doesn't like how loud it is.  Whenever I vacuum, she runs into the kitchen until I'm done.  She also loves to throw things in the trash.  Right when I'm done changing her diaper she stands up and says, "trash?"  Then I hand her the diaper and she throws it away for me!  It's super nice!  She'll also throw away her snack when she's done with it.  Without me even asking.  There is some bad to her loving to throw away things though.  Last week she threw away our baby finger nail clippers.  I saw her do it, but my hands were occupied at the time so I just thought, "oh no I'll have to get those out later."  Of course I totally forgot about it and they got taken away with the garbage truck!
I enjoy so much watching Avery learn!  It's especially nice when what she's learning is something that will ultimately help me out!  I've been blessed with such a good little girl!

Happy Father's Day

I hope everyone has had a great day and that they got to either spend time with a father they love or at least spent some time thinking about them.  I am so blessed to have many father's in my life.
First off my own dad.  He is always so loving and supportive.  With whatever I go through in my life I know that he is there to support me and love me.  He is one of my very favorite people!  I love the way he blows his nose.  Just thinking about it is making me smile!  I love the memories of eating chips and dip after church on Sundays.  I love the memories of going to do papers with him.  I just love him so much and am so grateful for the father he is.

Dad and me on my wedding day

Have you guys met my grandpa yet??  You really should, he is AWESOME!  Seriously awesome.  He is 89 years old and still does the Senior Olympics every year!  We moved to Utah when I have 7 and lived with them until my parents bought a house.  I remember throwing the  javelin and shot put in his back yard.  I may or may not have hit my ear one of those times throwing the javelin. . .I'll leave it to you to make that guess.  When we moved out of their house he would almost always come to our house for Sunday dinner.  For some reason we would always have sliced bread and jam on the table when he was there.  Once he moved to Idaho we didn't do that on Sundays anymore so it was for him, but I don't know why.  My grandpa has always been very active and would play basketball with us whenever we were all together.  He is such a loving generous man, I'm so lucky to have him in my life!

Grandpa and me a few years back

Next!  My wonderful father-in-law Joel.  First off, Avery is in love with Joel!  He is one of her very favorite people.  You should see her face when she sees her papa.  He is great with all kids, they bring so much joy into his heart.  One of the first things I learned about Joel is that he is an amazing home teacher, he loves to serve.  That is something that is true to all of the Brandley's they are always willing to serve.  He is a great person and he helped to raise one amazing man named Louis!  

Avery with her Grandpa Grandpa

Grandpa Brandley is next.  He is an incredible man.  He is so loving and welcoming.  I actually met him years before I met Louis.  I would go to some family things with Katie and always felt welcome.  Grandpa Brandley has taken me in as one of his own grandchildren, even before I married Louis.  He is a very loving man.  He also loves to serve, if there is ANYONE in need, he is there!  I'm pretty sure every missionary in Ogden knows his name.

Grandpa Brandley with Avery

Last, but not least, the father of my children.  My wonderful Louis.  Could my kids be luckier to have this man in their life?  He is truly an amazing dad.  He is so good with Avery.  He loves getting down on the ground and playing with her and laughing with her.  They have special games that Avery will only play with him.  Avery loves her daddy so much, she gets so excited every time she sees him.  She loves to cuddle with him in bed.  Louis loves being with her, it makes me so happy to see them together.  He loves this new  baby girl too, he loves to touch my tummy.  He has felt her move, but doesn't get to feel her often.  My placenta is in the front so that cushions a lot of her movement.  I'm so blessed to be married to Louis and have him as the father of my children.  He is so great and loving and fun.  

Louis with Avery baby