oh my

shes reading already? when we handed her the menu we thought she would just throw it on the floor like everything else. not this time: she took that menu like shes been holding menus her whole life, and gave that thing an intense look-over before chucking it at the closest passer-by. should we be looking at Harvard yet?

labor day

we spent some of the weekend staying in my brother's FIANCE's (yes, finally my brother is engaged!) family cabin up in the mountains. it was so nice to just get out of provo for a little bit and enjoy some pretty surroundings! we had tin foil dinners, played some games, explored on the ATV, and just hung out. claire was her usual self, mostly happy, but was having a hard time sleeping... no naps and had to sleep with us. oh well....

the happy couple! we are so excited for them!

so this was funny: claire has been a little, er, extra monsterish lately. she has four teeth coming in on top, so i guess thats to be expected (she finally cut one yesterday...) on top of that she has been particularly funny about going down for naps and bed time after having a nightmare one night (we think...) shes been very defiant, very 'i'm gonna do what i want' attitude. we were driving home after running a bunch of errands yesterday and she yelped at me like something was wrong, but nothing was. by the time we got home, claire was totally out. she did not want to nap, and her face seems to show it! to me it looks like she kept saying to herself 'i will not go to sleep, i will not go to sleep.....' but she was so out i managed to get her out of the carseat and upstairs and in the crib without a peep. thie NEVER happens. she does NOT like to be moved when she sleeps!

yeah i know... needs a new carseat. she has for about a month. shes in the 95% for height. its on the list

end of summerness....

... and on to the fall. and days upon days of lonely while joe works and goes to school. and so i entertain myself with testing out what claire likes

found out she LOVES brownie mix. just like her momma

she threw a fit when i took it away from her.

ps: i started a little video blog. nothing fancy, but i just wanted to have a little motivation to share more videos of her, but i don't want this blog to get bogged down every time it loads because we've got a lot. anyways, check it out if you're into seeing my cute baby do cute things (like being miss sassy pants and saying hello over and over again)

just because

today i am grateful for:

-good deals
-school
-a peacefully sleeping baby
-air conditioning
-water that comes out of the fridge (and my sister-in-law that pointed out to me that it works again! thanks laura)
-jeans that fit
-fresh bread
-a comfy couch
when we have clean air (utah air= yucky right now!)
-when i have a craving for healthy food
-a car that works
-good music- and that claire likes to listen to it and dance

and more. what are you grateful for today?

and one more thing- although ive never won a giveaway, i like those too. wanna enter a fun one? check out http://just-cook-already.blogspot.com/ and enter!

only a sister

going through some pictures today and found this one from when we went home for the reception/last fam time for two years/marsh's farewell etc. weekend, and i love it for what it is.

{we sat and just took pictures of ourselves for ten minutes while my mom was cleaning the carpet at around 11 at night, and we could NOT get one we were satisfied with, and somehow ended up on the floor like this.}

i was thinking about how the relationship you have between sisters is completely different than any relationship. and i totally love it. anyways.... just wanted to say thanks to linds for always stepping in and helping out whenever i need it!

what a goober-bub-a-chub

she makes me laugh all day long. i love 'tricking' her by making the red flash go and waiting to actually take the picture. she always squints when she sees the red light!

bashful

we've been seeing a lot of this lately

she thinks its it hilarious to look between her legs

can't figure out why! but it makes us laugh a lot

the crazy continues

although the traveling is over the whirlwind of 'life' goes on. among work, we squeezed in a ward party, errands, and a camping trip this weekend. woah- camping? yeah, we got a tent two YEARS ago right after we got married, and this weekend- the weekend of our anniversary- we finally put it to good use. i think joe was a little surprised with how well i did while 'roughing it'. it had been an extremely hot day but a coming storm and being up in the mountains made the weather perfect. thanks to lindsay for being a champ and watching claire for us!

as ive mentioned a few times, my little brother is leaving for his mission tomorrow. can hardly believe the time is finally here, and im sure he will be coming home before we know it. if you are interested, you can follow his journey here.

can hardly believe that school starts next week- is summer really over? i don't think i am ready for fall just yet! i know a lot of people are ready for fall, but i haven't quite gotten my fill just yet. i am a HOT weather kind of girl. although i might be *slightly* excited for some really good football games...

have i mentioned what today is? just a little anniversary for my love and me. when visiting home a couple weeks ago and helped throw a reception for my friend, we commented several times about how so much has happened in the last couple of years it seems like its been so much longer, but at the same time its gone by so quickly. either way, i really, really love my hubby. i love where we are and can't wait to see what the future brings.

and we're back!

all the trips are done for now, thank goodness. now on to normal life. claire has the flying thing down, and the fact that she always charms the stewardesses (resulting in special treatment!) makes it fairly do-able. being alone turned out better than expected- got a lot done, had some quiet time to myself, spent some time with linds, and got a few extra hours in at work. wanted to share a few pics from claire and joe's trip to NC.

claire with some of her greats- typical face.

more greats. so funny

all the brewer cousins. she adores all of her cousins. and i think they adore her? really wish they could see each other more often. yes she is wearing tennis shoes. she needs them.

and now my buddy is back!

so..... my mom had a wheat grinder and a bread maker that she wasn't using, and over the last couple of trips we have gotten the machines through the airports and out here to utah. linds and i decided to try them out last week, and the first attempt at wheat grinding was successful, and uh, quite funny (pictures and a video later lindsay?). we got a delicious loaf of bread from it, and i am now hooked. my kitchen is now a bakery. claire normally does NOT like machines, but she was highly intrigued by this one!

perhaps she liked the delicious smells coming from it? i am HOOKED. and i think claire will be inheriting my love of bread.
with this little thing making bread is CHEAP, EASY, and makes my house smeall HEAVENLY. a thick slice spread with a little butter and homemade jam, oh so nummy. anyone need a loaf?

all alone

{looking at a blog- oops}

i am all alone today in more ways than one. this is the view that i have had all day. two people have come in. both visits lasted less than 20 minutes. i am weak- i've cereal today and thats it. sound like i'm plugging my nose. can barely hold my hands up to type. eyes are drooping. i feel like my head is in a pressurized cloud and my body being run over by a truck. and then reversed and run over again.

and i'm going home to an empty house. hubs took bebe to get to know some aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, greats, and so on. i moved all the furniture out of the way last night to clean the carpets and now it really looks like its an empty house. sweet.

the gathering place

we're halfway through the weekend already, and its been a whirlwind of cleaning, eating, driving, tulle candles and cake, bikes and lots of laughs and giggles. linds, marsh, and monster got here wednesday afternoon, i got here wednesday night, chris and holly made it friday morning. mom marsh and i drove up to navuoo thursday night and attended our friend's sealing. it was beautiful and we were grateful to have been a part of such a wonderful event. drove back down here, put the finishing touches together for the house, everyone came, we ate and chatted the night away, cleaned it all up and went to bed. this morning was the bike ride- so fun! beautiful trails and the perfect weather this morning. for a few minutes everyone but me has left the house for various things.

{my little buddy}


{me and the bride! good high school buddies!}

{bride and groom- miranda and tyler. so beautiful!}
{monster.... i mean.... monkey! yeah monkey}

{siblings. not sure what is going on with my neck.}

{fyi- this pipeline originates in alberta, canada, and will eventuall reach the gulf of mexico. part of my dad's project he's workin' so hard on!}

next up- ice cream, bowling, more laughter, pictures, cafe rio salads, church, probably some tears, and then we head back. for now i will share these few pictures (from a few hundred already taken) from whats gone on thus far, and then enjoy some more time at the gathering place.

favorite quote so far- 'you didn't have those the last time we did this!'

the funniest- watching claire in her squeaky shoes

most memorable- will happen tomorrow when we say our goodbyes to little bro marsh for 2 years.