First Day of the next 4 years

We have had some things happen in our lives that will change everything. So you know the 2nd job that Lane was suppossed to get. . .well it never happened. It's a really long story but in a nutshell; Lane was said he was given this job that was really going to help us out financially. It would've been hard work and maybe something he really didn't want to do, but the money would have been good. Well some stuff happened and he didn't get that job; which actually turned out to be a good thing. It's not so great for me because that means I have to continue working; but realistically Lane would not have been able to work 2 full time jobs (80 hrs a week), go to school full time and try to manage a family somewhere in there too.

So anyways I'm still working full time, he is still at Chili's 3 nights a week and the hospital 3 nights and now he has offically gone back to school. The plan is to apply for the nursing program that starts next Spring, I believe. He's taking a couple pre-requestite classes and then he can apply in Fall to a few different schools in the area for their Nursing Programs. Then he will continue to get his bachelor's degree as a RN. He is really excited but it's a long road ahead. I know he can do it!

As for me, I think I've come to terms with that fact that I have to keep working full time for the time being. It's not easy but lets be honest, nothing in this life is easy. I have to keep focused on the long term goals and the fact that when he is done with school he will work 3-4 12 hour shifts at the hospital and that's it!! The other nights we will be able to be a normal family; who eats dinner together and does family things together.

I'm excited that Lane has found something he wants to do and is passionate about it. He will make a great nurse and possibly a doctor someday. We are a few years behind everyone else but we're still young and we have the rest of our lives ahead of us.

Strawberry Days

Strawberry Days is one of my favorite times of the year. We do it all!! Thursday night we went to the rodeo which was a ton of fun. Lane couldn't come he was working but I really wanted to take Brookie because I felt like she was old enough and would enjoy it.
Here she is with her hand on her heart while the national anthem was being sang.

Erin and Travis came.
Brookie and Grandma Twiggs


Friday I took the day off work and we went to the Carnival. Brookie was dying to go and we kept telling her tomorrow we would take her. The weather was terrible pretty much all weekend. Raining, which it is alwasy so hot for Strawberry Days so it was hard to go to the carnival in the rain. But we finally took her and she loved it. She went on the rides by herself which I didn't think she would.

I took her down the slide which I was scarred to go down so of course she was. It went so fast I didn't think I was going to stop at the bottom!!








And last but now least Saturday was the parade which is rained on and off. Once again, Lane couldn't come he worked the night before at the hospital so he was at home sleeping. Brooklyn loved it, all the fire engines and the policeman. She saw the clowns from the rodeo and all the horses. Every thing was "Hey Mom!! Look!"


Her favorite thing was waving to the "princess" or the pageant royalty. She said they had pretty dresses and would get upset if they didn't make eye contact with her and wave at her.

And we of course got strawberries 'n' cream, amazing!!!

We also got to spend a little bit of time with our daddy on Father's Day. He worked overnight on Saturday so he came home and slept for a couple hours before I jolted out of bed at 10:30 freaking out because we had to be to church at 11 am and Brookie wasn't even up yet. Apparently the weekend had worn her out, going to bed late and not having a naps caused her to sleep in as well as me. It was great to sleep in but then I was running around like mad trying to get to church on time. Lane is an amazing father, he is working so hard for our family. He works 7 days a week, never has a night off. We rarely see eachother but our marriage and love for eachother and Brookie is what's holding us together!

cookie DOUGH monster

Brookie's favorite thing to do these days are make cookies. Every time she is at Grandma's house she wants to make them. But she doesn't actually eat the cookies, she only eats the dough. Which is fine with me because that is the best part!! The whole thing about getting salmonella from cookie dough because it has raw eggs in it is so not true. I have eaten cookie dough my entire life and never once got sick. And obviously from these pictures it makes Brooklyn's day to make cookies and eat the cookie dough.




Daddy was working at Chili's and it was raining outside so we made oatmeal raisin cookies for him, since those are his favorite. We made some without raisins, just plain, for us. These are the one cookies she will actually eat both the dough and the baked cookies.

Fire Engines and Marshmallows

This last weekend was the annual Fireman's breakfast in PG. I have lived in Pleasant Grove my entire life and never gone! So me, Brookie and my mom walked down the street to the fire station and had some mean breakfast made by the fireman and EMT's and saw the fire engines.


Since we live on a busy road just up from the fire station we see and hear the fire trucks quite often. Brooklyn used to be scared of them but now if she hears the siren's she puts her hand to her ear and says, "I hear em, can I see them. . .please?" So I either hurry and take her outside as they drive by or we have a big window in the front room, I open the blinds and we watch as they drive by.

One morning she woke up early because a fire engine drove by and we can hear everything since we're on a busy road and it freaked her out. So now every morning she gets up, the first thing she says is, "There's no fire engines." With this happy grin on her face and I'm happy too because she didn't wake up early.
She was a little scared at first to get on the fire trucks but she eventually warmed up.

My favorite thing about summer is that at night when you walk outside you don't need a jacket or anything, it's just perfect weather!! We decided to roast marshmallows.
It was me, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law and the kids doing this so we kind of struggled with the fire but we got it.
I love this one, Brooklyn backing way probably thinking, "Grandma, do you know what you're doing?!"

She didn't eat the marshmallows she just liked to cook them.

I can't wait for more fun things to do this summer!

Our Memorial Weekend

We had a very long, very much needed weekend. I took Friday off from work and Lane didn't have to go to work until 5. So we enjoyed the day together. First we went to Thanksgiving point to the petting zoo with my Mom.
We petted (is that even a word) the Llama's.

Then they tried to kiss Brookie and she didn't really like that.

She did feed the horse grass from her own little hand, I was very shocked.

And even fed the birds too.

She was mesmerized by the horses yet when we took her on the pony ride she freaked out. So we settled for a wagon ride pulled by horses.

Our little family! Obviously she was more interested in something else!


I honestly couldn't tell you what we did Saturday and Sunday but it was good to just rest! Monay (Memorial Day) was Lane's birthday. He spent the morning golfing with his Dad, brother and sister 18 holes. Then we had a barbeque up Provo Canyon with both my family and his. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed each other's company. Lane's mom bought the kids bubble guns which entertained them the whole time. She also had a huge frisbee that entertained the adults.





After the BBQ Lane went golfing with my Dad, brother and brother in law another 9 holes!! He was sunburnt when he got home, but it was his birthday and that is what he wanted to do!
That night Lane and I went out just the 2 of us! It was great!! These days we only go out for special occasions like birthdays or our anniversary because he is working so much. He wanted Iggy's so we went there and then saw the movie Ghosts of Girlfriends past which was really good. Then we hit up Taco Amigo on the way home and got delicious glaciers!! Happy Birthday Lane!

Liberty Land

Lane had they day off so we headed to Liberty Land out in Lehi. It's new place that is very family oriented. We decided to take Brookie there and probably scarred her for life. She did good on most of the stuff but she is still talking about how she didn't want to ride the airplane ride.

Of course she was totally fine with the slide, we couldn't get her off it.

This is where we went all wrong. The roller coaster. I really wasn't expecting it to be that scary. . .well it was!! It went pretty fast and she is probably traumatized and won't ever go on a roller coaster again.


Luckily we redeemed ourselves with the Carousel. This was probably her favorite ride!

I know I look thrilled in the next picture, we were just waiting.

"Daddy, please save me."

Bumper Boats were actually a lot of fun. Of course getting into them she was a little hesitant but she eventually warmed up!

"Ok, this is fun!"


Mom and Dad probably enjoyed these the most! I didn't know how to drive them so Lane pushed me up against the wall where water comes out so I was soaked!! I was trying to save the camera from getting wet, my phone was ringing so my pocket was vibrating all the meanwhile trying my hardest not to get wet!!!

Our family!!!

Riding the train with Mom!


Of course all she wanted to do was ride the little kiddie rides that cost money to ride them. We gave in and let her ride a couple of them!


We also hit 18 holes of miniature golf and had lunch. Lane also took the night off so we had a BBQ is some friends and family!! We always take full advantage of Daddy have a free day and do something together.

(Help!! I want to make a picture collage but I don't know how!!)