Baking Cookies

"Monga", which is what Brooklyn calls Grandma (Julie), had this apron made for Brooklyn. Brooklyn always wants to help cook- even if it's just pouring water- so this was a very practical gift for her.
She also likes to taste as much as she likes to cook...that's my girl!

Tasting the final product

Brooklyn frosted all of these sugar cookies...but if you look closely, you can see they all have a bite taken out of them too.

Her very own rolling pin too!

Monga was very brave letting Brooklyn scoop in the flour. Every time she dipped the spoon in, she would flip it out and flour would fly everywhere. It was cute. Now Brooklyn gets her apron out three times a day: once at breakfast, once at lunch, and again at dinner.

Christmas in California

We put on our A-game and did a little bowling. I don't really take bowling too seriously and end up goofing around most the time because I stink at it. I usually get one or two lucky strikes in and the rest I need bumpers for. I've decided it's got to be my weak wrists!! (or something).

Brooklyn kept putting her head in front of the conveyor fan for all the bowling balls. She kept herself amused and occupied. That's probably the same thing I would have spent my time doing at her age. hmmmmm.

I just had to catch Jason at the peak of his game. I would fall over if I bowled like that...how does he do it?!

Brooklyn, Steele, Shalice, and Amanda

Sydney (friend) and Brooklyn drawing pictures together, reuiniting at last. They haven't seen each other for a while and when they do finally see each other, they have each grown and changed so much. Brooklyn kept trying to show everyone her pictures, but the toy she had was broken and automatically erased right after she drew something, so we could never see it.

Instead of riding bikes on the beach, we decided to go on a duffy boat ride this time. The scenery is so beautiful. There are tons of amazing homes and decked out yachts that dot the sides of the bay. We just cruised around for a while, it was relaxing. It was colder here by the beaches than on the inland area, but coming from Utah, we could handle it.

Brooklyn's sleeves were soaking wet by the time Papa was done with her. She had so much fun with the water.

Daddy and Brooklyn driving the boat.

Beckam sitting with Aunt Amanda on the duffy boat. He was so uncomfortable in that life jacket, it was making him really upset that he had to wear it. His face just says,"get this thing off of me!"

Monga compares the kids to the jingle bears every year to see how big they get each year. These bears are so old, like twenty years old, but continue coming out at Christmas time looking brand new. They are the fluffiest, softest bears- they just won't flatten out. Your parents might have some old jingle bears somewhere. Quality just isn't what it used to be.

This is Julie's (my mother-in-law) village she puts up every year at Christmas time. Most of the little houses light up, so Brooklyn would lay down in front of it and just stare at the whole scene. When Papa came over to look at it with her she told him "Don't touch, Papa!" She didn't break anything our entire visit...whew!

Good thing Beckam is not a girl, huh! As Julie has been recovering from cancer, she took her wig off because she now has a good amount of hair that has grown back. She looks beautiful...but, the wig looks better on her than on Beckam.

This is Julie's dining room table for the Holidays. I don't give it credit through this picture, but she could honestly decorate for Holiday magazine covers. It was so beautiful.

Brooklyn's Haircut

Updates are coming slowly but surely...every extra chance I get I am working on my digital scrapbook for 2008 instead of blogging. It's addicting.

This was Beckam just really enjoying his lunch one sunday afternoon. He was so content- I love those moments. It wasn't actually Halloween, it's just that was the first bib my hand could reach.

Brooklyn wouldn't ever get a nap on Sundays becaues church was right during nap time (1:30-4:30) so, almost immediately after getting home, we'd have just enough time to change her clothes and she was out! Jason loved it though, because she would just snuggle into him and stay asleep. He always looked forward to getting home just for this!

These two pictures were of B-Kate's first real haircut. We had done little tiny trims before this, but this was the first time I actually cut it all over. Overall, the haircut turned out better than I expected it to to be totally honest. This is the first time I have ever cut someone's hair...no, that's a lie, I actually cut Jason's hair once before and let's just say he won't let me near his hair to even try to redeem myself. It was that bad. I got to laugh while he had to suffer. Oops.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Ben had this really brilliant idea to see who could fit an entire pack of Big League Chewing gum in their mouth and blow a bubble. They each had their own bag and were laughing too hard to finish. I was eliminated before even starting.

All of us at Thanksgiving Point with Ben, Emilee and Cambree

Brooklyn and Cambree were throwing the reindeer straw on Papa

The horses at the Petting Zoo

"LLama Face!"

The llamas were extra friendly that day for some reason. They were all popping up sticking their heads out at us. They were literally eating out of our hands...well not my hands, but other people's hands.

Brooklyn was really amused with the fake cow...can you tell?

This little elf man just wandered up to us to say hello :)

Brooklyn all snuggled up with Papa! It was cold outside- perfect time for hot chocolate with peppermint ice cream in it! Yum!

My little hot-rod. I love it when he purses his lips together like this- it makes his little cheeks round out even more!

Brooklyn was "ice-skating" with Aunt Amanda. We had been watching the show 'Cutting Edge' and it gave Brooklyn the dancing bone and she ended up ice skating all night across the living room floor.

A Belated Halloween...Better late than never

Veronica, Brooklyn, Yvette, and me out trick-or-treating

Brooklyn was more into mommy that night than trick-or-treating, so we came in early and snuggled! The only thing she wanted out of her candy bag was the fruit snacks! go figure.

Aliah and her daddy who is dressed like a horribly scary gorilla. Brooklyn was literally trembling at the sight of him. She was climbing up my body and clinging with every muscle she had. He ended up taking it off.

Grandma Kay and Beckam, my little pluffy pumpkin

My mom made us all homemade chili and scones and it was amazing!

Part of the big clan we went trick or treating with!

left to right: Aliah, Brooklyn, Jaeli, McKlaine, Holden

Wasn't Halloween night incredibly nice!? I didn't even need to wear a jacket! I remember going trick or treating through snow as a kid, hiding my costume under blankets, coats, gloves, and boots! This year was awesome.

Beckam's Blessing Day

My mom and sisters: Yvette, Veronica, me, and Treva

and my neice, Aliah, down below

Jason and his long lost cousin, Ben. It's sadly true, but an amazing and beautiful story. It already seems like we've always known him!

Jason's uncle Mark, cousin Mary, aunt Cynthia, and grandma

Brooklyn wearing her tiara like it's her sunglasses instead.

My fam
Nicholas and Brooklyn

Nick is a second cousin to Brooklyn but look like they could pass for brother and sister

Uncle Mark, Aunt Trish, Sierra, Nicholas, and baby Jaden

This was Brooklyn all day at the brunch- glued to the soccer ball.

This was how it looked behind.

Aunt Rev and B-Kate

Beckam was blessed in the same outfit his daddy was blessed in 28 years ago!