Girls will be girls.

 I must have looked at Addison wrong because she started yelling at me for no reason.  After letting her go on like this for a while I finally asked her, " Why are you yelling at me?"  Her reply, "Because I am CWANKY!"

Count Your Blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

My favorite part of the general Relief Society meeting was the opening hymn.

For the last few nights Brighton has been scared at night, waking up, turning on all the lights, and that sort of thing.  Well Zoe, being the good second mother to the children she is, has been sleeping on Brighton's bed or right next to his bed to comfort him even though she prefers to sleep on her own bed.  So so sweet in and of itself.  When Brighton got up this morning he said, "Zoe slept on my bed last night to protect me so I covered her up with Bitsy."  (Bitsy is Brighton's blankie and most prized earthly possession)  I just about lost it.  Probably the sweetest thing I've ever heard.

Jim Thorpe

We have been trying to check out all the areas around here so last weekend we went to a little town called Jim Thorpe.  The town was once called Mauch Chunk but they changed the name.   Mauch Chunk is better.  Anyhow the town is tucked away in the Poconos and it is adorable. 

We rode the train.

And we explored the old mansion on a hill.

You can see more pictures of the town here.

Addie is 2 today.  

She loves to do whatever her brother does.  She follows him saying, "me too, me too."
She is adventurous and fearless.

Everyday when her nap is over she cries and I go into her room and get her.  Then it takes about five minutes for her wake up fully and open her eyes, during which time she insists on laying on my chest.  Torture I tell ya.

She is very careful to always use complete sentences.

She likes to take Tallulah for walks.  She grabs her by the leash and says, "cummon cheeky".

This fall our house is infested with bugs that smell like cilantro and Addie loves them.  She calls them "gabuggies".

She climbs on everything!
When she get really mad at me she yells "naughty zoe!"
Her face is so cute I could stare at her all day.

She wants to do every thing herself, including snapping her carseat buckle which she is physically not capable of doing at this point, which means every time we get in and out of the car she throws a huge temper tantrum.

She loves to run around in the nude.  

We love her!

Camping at Raystown Lake

On Memorial Day weekend we packed up the family and went camping at Raystown Lake.   So much fun!

 Campfire fun.

Pretty sure Tallulah is plotting her attack on Brighton's hotdog in this one.  She did end up snatching it after he dropped it on the ground.

See, I told you she got it.  Doesn't she look smug?

Addie looks like a ragga-muffin.

Waiting for the fireworks over the lake to begin. 

We had breakfast the next morning aboard the Proud Mary.

I noticed just now that Addie is attempting to suck the orange juice she spilled off the table.  Lovely.

I busted Brighton piling soot on top of his head.  The best part is that later that evening Addison got mad at Brighton and when she smacked him on the head a big puff of soot came out.  Good times.  Don't forget to pause the music on the sidebar before viewing video.

Idaho

I had forgotten how beautiful Idaho is.  I am embarrassed how long it has taken me to post these pictures from our trip.  We went and stayed at my grandpa's cabin in Island Park and it was divine.

 

 

One good thing about having kids who wake up at 6am every morning is getting to take the canoe out and watch the sun rise with the mist over the lake.

 

The clearest water in the world I swear at Big Springs.

No trip to the cabin would be complete without catching crawdads with my brother Jason.  Please excuse my irresponsible and reckless use of socks with sandals.

We saw this guy outside the cabin.  We also saw a black bear and deer, but I wasn't quick enough with the camera.

 We paddled down Big Springs with my Dad, Jason, Brighton and Audrey in one canoe, Heather, Ryan, and Rachel in another, and my Mom was a good sport and rode in a canoe with me, Addie, and Jared.  Just for the record, our canoe had by far the fastest rowers.

 It was perfect.

The last of the pictures from Arizona...I promise.

Bright  fishing with Grandpa and Uncle Jason.

After Visiting Jenessa and Eddy we headed back to my parents house for a few more days before heading out to Pennsylvania for good.  Brighton went fishing with Grandpa and Uncle Jason a few times while we were there and I think it is safe to say he is now a fisherman.   Also any trip to visit my parents would not be complete without going out in the boat with my Dad, so we did that one last time too.

Brighton catches a lunker

Brighton shows us how big his fish was(I told you he was a true fisherman)

 My sister Heather and Bright cool off in the water

Me and my dad

Jason turned old while we were there and to celebrate his birthday we made him a worm cake you know in honor of fishing.

This picture was taken on the day before we left and it pretty much sums up how my parents felt by the time we left.