Disney Land!!

* Disclaimer, I will be including many boring details for my benefit so I will remember this trip, read at your own risk...if anyone still reads this blog.*

Our trip started in where we spend a couple of days with Ann and Wade.  We spent a afternoon at the Ross house and went out and had yummy ice cream, and if I find the sd card I took pictures of that trip I have adorable picture of Jack and Brynne and Dane eating Ice cream.  Until then I only have pictures from my mom's iphone of our whole trip :)  We played at the park, played on the slip and slide, and saw Erica and the girls for a few minutes.  We had a great time in Lodi, and enjoyed quality time with Grandma and Grandpa B., and I know there is not many other places in the world Taylor would rather be than at his childhood home!

Then we headed down to L.A. with my mom and dad. It was nice to split up the kids into 2 cars. We got to our hotel and took the kids swimming, even though it was raining.  Luckily they had a large hot tub, where we were able to annoy some newlyweds with our splashing children...oh well!  My mom and Dad went to visit Todd that night while we took the kids to The Cheesecake Factory...we ordered the corn dogs for the kids, and they may have been Taylor and I's favorite menu item!  We also ordered a Mango key lime cheesecake and something really chocolaty.  The kids were great and it felt good to be all together having a good time! 

The next morning we got on the Shuttle and headed to Disney Land! We thought we were going to have to pay for Dane, but he ended up still being free, so that was a pleasant surprise!  We saw Belle when we first entered the gates, but luckily Brynne didn't want to give her a hug she just wanted to look, so we avoided many lines this way!  Our first ride was a rocket ship ride, where the rockets went up and down! After that the kids realized what Disney land was all about, they had so much fun!  I loved watching their faces full of excitement on the rides!  We went on the submarine next, Dane thought that we were really at Nemos house and he was in awe...I had been telling them about my memories of this ride from when I was little, so they were especially excited for that ride.  We figured out fast passes, and I couldn't have been happier, I hate lines!  We zoomed through the line for splash mountain and a couple other big rides.  Brynne liked splash mountain the first time, but by the third time she was done...she knew what was coming!  Dane's favorite ride was a toy story ride where he got to "shoot da bad guys"  He loved it, and kept repeating shoot, shoot, shoot...while he was shooting, we went on that ride a few times for him. The kids really loved the tpots and Mr. toads wild ride.  We saw a family of baby ducks crossing the path that were so sweet.  Brynne loved the princess castle, but was disappointed we couldn't go upstairs.  Taylor's favorite was the Indiana Jones ride because it was closed when he went as a kid.  I really loved the haunted house and pirates of the Caribbean, but my favorite part of the day was the end at the parade.  We had a front row seat at the very beginning of the parade, Brynne was so excited to see all the characters and was so excited when they waved at her.  Dane got into it after a while and pointed out his favorite characters.  The music, costumes, and dancing were remarkable! It was beautiful weather, in the 70's and most lines we were in we waited 5 min's or less.  I really couldn't have planned a more perfect day.  By closing time we were sad to leave, but grandpa m. let Brynne and Dane choose a toy from a gift shop.  Dane got a light saber and Brynne got a cute music box.  We got on the shuttle and road back to the hotel.

The next morning we all went to visit Todd at the hospital.  It was good to see him, but emotional for me to see him in a place like that.  We played basketball with him, and were able to have a really good visit with him outside.  After he had to go back inside after about a hour 1/2 his social worker talked to us, and re assured us of the good care he was getting.  I miss my brother and wish there was more I could do for him.  Then we picked up subway sandwiches and headed to the beach, Andrea and Cade were in LA visiting friends and so they got to come with us.  Taylor and I had a great playing and body surfing in the waves and the kids had fun playing in the sand with grandma and grandpa!  That night Andrea watched the kids and my mom and dad and Taylor and I drove to watch a BYU finals game, and we had our fill of LA trafic.  The volley ball game was awesome, almost all BYU fans in the croud and they won the match in 3 sets!

The next morning we headed back home with Cade and Andrea riding with us.  We had a fantastic trip and made tons of great memories! 

Post of All Posts: Christmas, B's bday, valentines day

 Merry Christmas!!

 We had a great Christmas at home this year!  Taylor and I had so much fun anticipating Christmas morning and getting things ready for the kids because we knew how excited Brynne and Dane were this year, and they didn't disappoint. On Christmas eve around 7:00 p.m. Brynne got a really worried look on her face and said that she didnt want to be awake when santa came and so she got her pajamas on and hopped into bed.  Whenever we walked past she was still awake, so she laid in there for hours. Taylor and I finally went to sleep around 1 a.m. and we both had a hard time going to sleep!  Then at 2:00 a.m. Brynne came in so excited because Santa had come and brought her pillow pet just like she asked, luckily she hadnt opened any of the wrapped presents!  Then we had her sleep by us on our floor and at 3:00 she woke up again, and after learning it still wasn't time to wake up, she threw up.  She was just too excited!  We finally woke up at 6 a.m. and opened presents.  Dane also loved every minute of opening the presents!  His present from Santa was a fish tank and a few fish, he was pretty excited and with the help of Brynne named the biggest fish, santa fish...who sadly has already gone to see his dad in the ocean, like in Finding Nemo.  We just hung around the house that day, and ate and prepared yummy food!  It was a great Christmas!

Happy Birthday Brynne!

Oh Brynne, are you really 4 years old!  I cannot believe it! Its kind of weird but it seems like most days I just happen to look at the clock when its 1:03 p.m. and think about the moment I was blessed with my first baby!  I've been really sentimental latley, even more than usual because I had a friend from college die of cancer, and he had 2 kids that are my kids ages, and it reminds me how I want to appreciate every moment I can. 

 ANYWAYS, Brynne had a great birthday party that she had been anticipating for months and months!  It was a Tangled birthday party, she had 13 kids at her party, great grandma and grandpa Broughton and Aurlisa, Kenny, Andrea, and Cade.  We had corn dogs and chips for lunch.  Brynne and I made a pinata together for her party that we hit in the basement.  She opened presents, and ran around the house like crazy people!  I cant believe how much pink was in the house, and how many presents she got, what a lucky girl!

A story I want her to remember is that she was really sick the days leading up to her party, we called everyone to let them know that she was sick, but that we were still going to have the party.  It was Brynne's idea to ask her dad for a blessing that she wouldn't be sick at her party.  She woke up the day of her party and wasn't acting sick at all anymore.  She had so much fun at her party, but a couple of hours after the party she was sick again.  Brynne has such faith and were so proud of our newly 4 year old!

 Happy Valentines Day!

        We made yummy sugar cookies to give away for Valentines day as a family, but unfortunately we ate most of them ourselves! On Valentines day we had a play group and pot luck lunch at our house, the kids felt the love and played together well!
        After Taylor left for work I found a clue for a scavenger hunt.  It was a really intense hunt that had me scavenge-ring all day long! Some of my favorite (or not) clues included under the battery in my phone, in a yak field, trying to measure little strings he left all over to come up with a number I needed, a clue was in a certain book at the library on page 817 because our anniversary date is 08/17, duct taped to the slide at Mcdonalds play place,  ect, ect!  It was really sweet of him to prepare such a extravagant hunt but...I was ready to be done by the end!
      After he got home from work we went out to dinner at our favorite Tai Food restaurant, and then went to Safe Haven, which I thought was really great.  Anyways in was a fabulous day! Sure love my husband and family!

Let it snow!

 December has been a rough month this year!  Taylor had finals and a interview for PA school in AZ the first couple of weeks, combined with strep throat and two slipped discs in his back it was stressful for us all!  Dane was throwing up multiple times a day for two weeks. I have had a cold and cough for a month and strep throat for a few days.  Brynne almost held out, but was sick only one day.  Pheww anyways after a sick month and missing lots of fun Christmas parties we are making the most of the last few days before Christmas and trying to get into the holiday spirit!

 One of the first snows of the year, it snowed about a foot of heavy snow.  The snow really weighed down the trees because the leaves were still on.  Most of the trees in our yard were really damaged.  Taylor got ready to go outside and knock the snow of the apricot tree and opened the back door right as this huge branch fell. We were all eating breakfast looking out the window as it happened and it sounded like thunder and all we could see was white for a minute or two.  I'm so grateful he wasn't a few seconds faster getting outside.  It fell on the power line and we were out of power for a few hours.  It also knocked over some of the fence, crushed all the tomato cages that were against the fence, and broke off one of the lines on the clothes line. Driving around our neighborhood that day looked like there had been a hurricane!  Luckily lots of people helped us clean all this up! Landlords, chain saws, Taylor,  the scouts, and my mom and I took many trips to the green trash lot!

 First time mini golfing, the kids had so much fun!

 So happy to put the Christmas tree up!  I love our Christmas tree, its covered randomly with all of Taylor and I's ornaments from growing up.  My favorite is one Tay made is school when he was about 7 with his adorable picture on it!  I love nostalgia. 

 Dane reminded me of my brother Chad this year, he wasn't about to pose for pictures!

 Dane LOVED santa and cuddled right up to him no problem.  He will probably get lots of presents from that guy this year!

 Brynne was super excited right up until it was time for her to get on his lap, but at the last second quickly told him she really wanted a unicorn pillow pet with lights, hopefully he heard her!

 We had fun acting out the nativity with Kenny and Andrea and Cade!  Dane especially CANNOT get enough of his little cousin and is constantly trying to hold and kiss him!

 If you think this pic is good...you should see the video!

 We had a fun Christmas party at Brenna and Joes!  Ate a yummy dinner, played games, did a craft, and decorated ginger bread men!

 Lots of M and m's, thats what I'm talking about~

 Dane always throws up if he eats frosting so we had to moniter this event closely!

 We took a trip to temple square on thursday night, it was beautiful and magical...for a few minutes then it was just freezing at 18 degrees!  "What is this, Rexburg?"

We had a fun Joy school Christmas party where the kids acted out the nativity, sang the songs they had been practicing this month, handed out the presents they have been making, and ate the cookies that took us hours to bake :)  

WE CANT WAIT FOR SANTA TO COME IN A COUPLE OF DAYS!!!!

Stars Wars Birthday!

We surprised Taylor with a Star wars themed bday party to start his 28th year out right! He really was surprised since I'm not really a star wars person. My friend let me borrow a bunch or her costumes since all her kids were star wars characters for Halloween! Grandma and Grandpa Broughton and Alex and Megan and their kids came over for the event.

Dane as a Ewok and Brynne as Princess leia

Princess leia and grandpa taking a rest!

Ella as R2D2

Alex and Tay playing with the fire of course!

Lucy in the Yoda costume minus the ears and cute Wes!

Get 'em all!

Sugar!