Brooks the dragon

Brooks was a dragon this year for Halloween. I didn't get cute pics when he was trick or treating but got this one a week or two before when we were on our way to This is the Place. He wasn't feeling very well.

He finally caught on to the trick or treat idea after about ten bowls of candy. His idea was to take the piece of candy already in his hand and put it in the bowl in front of him. I had no issue with his plan.

He knows how to "rar" like a dragon. Super cute. By the time Halloween came around and we would ask him what a dragon said, he replied in a quiet whisper without any enthusiasm. We wanted him to be prepared but I think we wore him out.

Chris was Magnum P.I. with a legit Tom Selleck mustache, I was Jane Fonda.

Catchin up

I posted a ton of stuff from the end of the summer. I'm sad to see it go. Enjoy the pictures below!

Yellowstone

My family headed up to Yellowstone for a few days last month. We had a good time, nostalgic.

On our way up we stopped at Bear World in Idaho. I was very skeptical at first, but it was a HUGE hit for the kids and the kids at heart. Brooks liked throwing food to the animals. He's also sporting his bear shirt Grandma (Maynes) Butterfield brought home from Alaska
Ben and Terra were trying to keep Beck from being bear food.

Beck and Brooks loved the train. Brooks kept trowing a fit every time we'd make him get off. He even tried to squeeze under the gate once. The attendant was really annoyed.

My dr. banned me from carrying Brooks on my back after my steroid injection so my big bro Chris was a great sport and carried him in the backpack for me.


taking it all in.


hanging around town. I love the town of West Yellowstone. I feel at home there.


Chris came up Friday night after work. He totally freaked Terra out. My family was watching a freaky movie (I was trying to keep Brooks asleep in the basement and I HATE scary movies) Terra was in the kitchen and someone man was trying to get in. It was Chris, no one knew he was coming but me. It was awesome!

my boys

I love these two! So handsome, both of them.

five mile

We went out to five mile pass a few weekends ago so Chris could get in his last motorcycle ride of the season.

Brooks loved playing in the dirt. I didn't love trying to clean it out of all our stuff. I still have fine dirt in my watch band.

Brooks chilled out eating grapes while listening to his football team beat another football team. I can't remember what team they beat cause they're all running together this season.

park play date

Brooks and I went to the park to play with my cousin Liz and her little girl Ruth when they were in town from San Francisco. We had a really good time.


There was a man in his early 60s that was on a run and stopped at the park to do some pulls-ups and sit-ups. Brooks and Ruth got down on the ground a few feet behind him and imitated him while he was doing the sit-ups, grunts included. I wish I would have caught it on video. It was truly awesome. I'm sure he was annoyed but I thought it was cute.
This was Brooks attempting to sit up right before having to use his hand. He thought he was so cool.

the story of the dilly bean

Earlier this summer our friends Cody + Carli and Adam + Kara had a BBQ and we were lucky to be invited, so

we went to Liberty Park

Carli introduced Brooks to homemade dilly beans (and they're just what you think they are, dill green beans).

"I want to do it myself. mmmmmm...."

His new favorite food. Thanks Carli, summer BBQs will never be the same.

"I'm going to eat some more."

"wait...I'm not so sure."

Thanks for the experience Carli, it sure gave all of us a good laugh!

overstock

Brooks and I met Chris at his work to take him out to lunch. Brooks enjoyed exploring much more than he enjoyed the lunch. This kid would live outside if I would let him. Love him! And his daddy :)

But I really want the goldfish Mom...

Before Brooks learned to climb into the high chair he practiced by climbing on our chairs and onto our table. He learned how to climb on the chairs when we were in TX visiting Chris' brother and family in September. Nice.

the beach

We went boating a few times with the Hardys this summer. Brooks liked the boat but he LOVED the beach. He would have liked the boat better if he didn't have to wear the life jacket.

Monkey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFMclDBPrTU

signing

I swear by teaching babies how to sign! I love it. I know the number of tantrums at our house are much less than they would be if Brooks didn't sign. He's just got that type of personality where he gets frustrated easily if he doesn't get what he wants IMMEDIATELY. We may be in trouble later. I made a list of signs that he knows and uses and was totally shocked at how long it was.

Here it is:
Grandma
Mom
Dad
Grandpa
dog
cat
bird
fish
horse
eat
drink
cracker
cereal
more
finished
go
bye
please
thank you
hat
ball
car
shoe
diaper
bath
brush teeth
blanket/sleep
hug
He also shakes his head "no" which I think counts

Hopefully these signs start turning into spoken words soon. He's been babbling up a storm at our house lately. He tells us stories all the time. He regularly says his favorite (and only) words: "dog," "what," and "tic-kle." Yes, he does say "tickle" folks and uses it in the right context.

We went to Texas...

...it was HOT!

Birthday Lagoon Fun

Brooks turned the big O-N-E on June 4th. We started celebrating the day by making chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. He loved them!


He went down for a nap and then we were off to LAGOON! Needless to say, Lagoon's not that cool anymore since I practically lived there the summer after 9th grade and worked there the next summer. I do have to admit, it is fun to take kids there. Chris' work rented out the entire park. It was just Overstock.com employees and families.

The first ride we hit up was the Terror Ride. Chris was convinced Brooks was going to freak out. He settled in between the two of us and loved the flashing lights, loud sounds and all the scary things. He didn't cry until the ride stopped and we started to get out. It was pretty hilarious.

We tried the Marry-go-round. I was really surprised he didn't love it. He got really nervous as it started to go but did okay after that.

My favorite ride as a little kid was PUFF so we headed there next. Brooks was excited waiting in line but was pretty indifferent on the ride.


Brooks loves water. Actually that is an understatement. He's obsessed with water! We changed him into his swim suit and let him play in the fountain. He was seriously going nuts the whole time. A high pressure stream of water would spray him right in the face and he'd gasp then keep on going. There's a video below (not yet), it's not the best but catches quite a few of his screams.

He was very worn out and loved cuddling his dad.

It was a memorable day. Lots of laughs and giggles from the cutest little boy!

Loving the water

Brooks is a huge fan of water, in any form. Believe it or not he was loving the fountain at the Gateway mall. It got him right in the face a few times and he kept going back for more. The only time he got upset was when I had to put him back in the stroller.

In other news, Brooks listened to Bob Marley on the ipod and that kept him quiet for the first 20 minutes of Sacrament meeting today. Next time we're going to move up from the ear buds to over-the-ear headphones. He was so tired and started to fall asleep (NEVER happens anymore at church) and we changed the music to Bon Iver. People thought we were silly. I think we're geniuses.

It's memorial day weekend and my mind can't help but think about those that have gone before me, especially my little sisters Melissa, Sarah and my dad Keith. I miss all of them more and more everyday and my testimony of forever families also grows stronger as well.

Thanksgiving 2004

Dad's last Birthday, January 2006

love these two

Zion NP

We had a fun weekend camping with the Hardy's down in Zion NP a couple weekends ago. Brooks loved his new ride. He also liked playing with his dad's long hair. Hopefully we get plenty of camping in this year.