Our Latest Project

The bushes had to go.

                                      Beetle was more than happy to take a chain saw to them.

                   

After we cleared out the bushes Beetle tried burning the leftovers. The fire dept. showed up about a half hour in to it. Turns out you need a permit to burn! Beetle was disappointed, we all know he loves an excuse to play with fire.

I thought clearing out the bushes would be the hardest part. Oh no, these bushes had stumps! Two of them, and they were beasts. This picture doesn't do them justice. We axed them ALL DAY LONG! I haven't used an ax much but while Beetle took a truck load of bushes to the dump, I decided I could chip away at the roots for a while. It was a great experience, and a wonderful stress reliever. I noticed Maxwell staring at me while I was swinging my most powerful swings, He yelled....."HEY, Mom's aren't supposed to use Axes!" "Oh YES they are!" I yelled back.

The come-along got a dang good work out and so did Beetle. I am so glad he never gave up on the stumps, I thought he was going to when he would ax for a few hours and they wouldn't budge. 

Before

After

This ended up taking us about two weeks but it was worth it! We couldn't believe all the space under those ugly bushes. Beetle ended up pulling out 4 other trees with the come along and he is going to add a birdhouse to the tip of one of the tree trunks. Eventually we will take out these trees and plant a Maple tree that we have been trying to grow. I also think we need to move our poor little peach tree.
Can you spy Brigadoon?

Preschool Graduate

 Our Preschool Graduate! Maxwell will be Kindergarten bound in the fall. Since Max has a late Birthday I feel like he has been by my side for a long time (a plus side to fall birthdays). He always wants a plan for our days. "What we doin' today Mom."  As long as I add enthusiasm to my reply, he is satisfied. I love it. I also love that he can always sense when it's time for Annabelle and Benson to get home. "Mom, isn't it time to pick up the kiddees?" He is going to love Kindergarten and all the socialization that comes along with it. He loves playing with other kids and can make friends with anyone. Thank goodness Kindergarten is a half day because I am not ready to go all day with out seeing this cute face.

Maxwell's teachers. I asked him what their names were, "Um...I dunn know, I think one is Miss Michelle?"

                                                          
                                                               Baby Brig looking cute.

               I wore two different flip flops to Maxwell's Graduation. I am sure everyone noticed.(;

                                                                Way to Go Maxwell!

Brigham's 1st Clipper Cut

I gave baby Brig his first "clipper" hair cut. I only know how to do one hair cut with the clippers, Beetle calls it the military cut. I am learning with the scissors because of this guy,

but since scissors take me forever and I usually mess up, I decided to give Brig his first military with the clippers.

BEFORE

                                                                            AFTER

It turned out pretty cute. I was worried Beetle would be disappointed I cut it, but he loved it.

If Brig is in the backyard this is where you will find him. He loves to pull himself up on this pot and tug on the tips of plants.

 Any baby hair that was left is gone and his hair looks so blonde now, I love the way it looks when the sun is shining on it.

Little ONE

Look at our little ONE year old! 

He had his one year check up yesterday. The percentiles are in....

Height: 27.75 in.   1.18%tile
Weight: 18.41 lbs   9%tile
Head: 19in.  95.45%tile

I really hope when people say "percentiles mean nothing", that they are right. Cause I was a little concerned yesterday. All of my kids have had BIG heads but this...these proportions...they just don't seem right. But they are! I had the nurse measure his head twice. His weight and height really had me worried because most of my kids have been short but usually they are chubby too. All Well. Needless to say I am tempted to put him on the Pearl Elder diet so I can stop worrying if he is getting enough caloric intake. I seriously went and bought a bottle on my way home from his appointment. Get ready to chug some whole milk Baby Brig!

I kiss this head about one hundred and nine times a day. He is always so happy and content. When my other kids started crawling, they were off my lap and BUSY. Not Brigham, he takes his time and is happy to just sit and observe. He has the cutest, slowest crawl. He also loves being held and cuddled, I am going to keep soaking it all in, he may one day decide that he wants to be crazy busy like his siblings....but probably not.

Rachel, I can't thank you enough  for these pictures! I will love them forever.

Brigham's 1st Birthday

                                                         Baby Brigham turns ONE today!

Words can't even describe how much I love this boy. He puts a Smile on my face EVERY day....that I can ALWAYS count on!

Thank goodness Si Guy was in attendance for candle blowing duty

 For a little while he looked like a little clown with the frosting smeared in a perfect circle around his lips.

                                                       First Birthdays are Awesome Mom!

Grandma and Grandpa Smart

Uncle Danny, Pearl Girl, and Ruben

Bayliss and Brigham

Roman and Michelle patiently waiting for us to find our camera, thank you Aunt Rachel for bringing yours and thank goodness we ended up finding ours!

p.s. do you spy Benson?

                                       It wouldn't  be a party without Great Grandma Phyl-Phyl

George, Kate, Henry, Mac and Cassie

Simon buckled himself in Brigham's high chair. I guess he realized that good things come to those who sit in high chairs.

                                                               

I LOVE 1st Birthdays! Actually all Birthday's are so much fun but a first birthday is extra special because there is so much growth and change in the First year. I have loved this weekend, thinking about how much I love Brigham and how thankful I am that he joined our family when he did, he is such a perfect blessing and brings so much happiness to everyone who knows him. Happy 1st Birthday Sweet Brigham!

Brigs First Puzzle

A puzzle can be difficult for an almost one year old

                     I thought it was so cute Brig was trying to piece it together through Simon's crib.

                  Okay so maybe he wasn't really piecing it together, but I swear it looked like he was.

                 I was laughing at his facial expressions and all the grunting noises he was making.

Aha! Got it! looks like he was after a teething toy after all, but if he ever ends up being a puzzle whiz, I will have this post to prove that he was attempting puzzles at age almost One!

Cutest profile ever

                                How did we ever get so lucky to have Baby Brigham in our family?