A stuffed animal kind of family

One day years ago Bryan and I took a toodler  Brookelyn and a baby Vincent to go eat at IHOP. We went with our friends and neighbors . At this time IHOP was still selling there loads of beanie baby type stuffed animals in the front. From the moment we walked in Brookelyn wanted one and was touching them all and taking them off the shelf bringing them to Bryan and I begging for them. We decided to seize the opportunity and made a deal, she could have 1 of the stuffed animals after we ate if she was good and sat still and ate all her food. Its funny I remember all the details of this night. I remember what I was wearing, what Brooke was wearing and that it was storming rain outside. Brooke kept saying "BOOM BOOM" anytime thunder would strike. Anyway, dinner was a success! Brookelyn was a complete angel and a sleeping Vincent was sung in his car seat the whole dinner! Succsess! As we were walking out we stopped to let Brookeyn pick one of the small little soft treasures that were stacked upon the shelves. Brookelyn, was very much into pink, princess and unicorns and anything magical at the time. I was convinced she was going to pick the sparkly pink unicorn or the shiny silver Pegasus. Nope, I was wrong. She picked the cutest little soft cream colored lamb. She hugged that thing with all her might. I still remember her little voice saying "mommy, this is lamby. My lamby." Already named and loved. Brookelyn was also very certain that her baby brother needed one to. He needed the the little bear dressed in blue pjs. " Much obliged I bought that bear to.

Fast forward years later. Brookeyns favorite stuffed animal in which she had to sleep with, travel with or cuddle close when shed go to a doctor was that little lamb Lamby. And low and behold that little bear had become Vincents attachment to. "Bears", that was its name. By this time we had added to our family and had little Brenin. Besides being attached to a blanket, he really did not have a stuffed animal attachment until.... we took a family vacation to SeaWorld.  Then it happend. My kids were allowed to pick 1 souvenir before we went home. Brenin picked a little whit seal. He picked a name on his own and loved that white seal. It went everywhere with him. Just like his siblings before him when they were young. A extended identity of our cute toddler kids.

Again, we are at  a new part of our life.  We are living out our days in the NICCU at Primary Childrens Hospital with baby #4, a boy named Ryker. While I was pregnant with him he moved around a lot in my belly. I use to say he was like a monkey swinging from the trees. The name monkey stuck. The nurses even drew pictures of monkeys on the white board by his crib, and his little section "his home" was decorated by monkeys.  When he returned home to Heavenly Father 4 months later He was buried with a little monkey and some of his flowers were decorated with monkeys. It became him, his little symbol.  I have a copy of the same monkey he had laying next to him every day and that we buried him with as well in my room. Another stuffed animal to add to our family collection.

Finally, our last fast forward. Little Cloey arrived about a year and 1/2 later. While I was pregnant some one gave me a cute rabbit stuffed toy from a company called Scentsy . They are stuffed animals that have little scented pouches in them that make the stuffed toy smell yummy. This rabbit smelled liked baby powder. I was so excited for my new baby girl coming to cuddle it and love it. When she was a newborn I had seen  some other stuffed scentsy toys at a boutique so I bought 2 more. A unicorn and a green dragon. Within weeks it became very apparent that Cloey loved that dragon the very best. It went and still goes everywhere with us. I laugh, cause here we go again, a new little one in our family with a stuffed toy they love. 

Each of my kids still have these special treasures although now most of them just sit upon shelves in there rooms now, not needing to be cuddled or dragged everywhere. But there still here, and I hope that maybe just maybe my kids can give there special comforts to there kids someday. Or, leave them here with mom in her hope chest, I'm ok with that to! ;)

**side note: wouldn't ya know it, Bryan and I also had special stuffed toys like this to when we were young, must be in the DNA!

A new blog

Bryan bought me the cutest pink notebook out of the blue and I got the crazy thought of starting a new blog again. I use to keep one years ago, and picked up again when Ryker was in the Niccu with the Ryker reports, so I thought new computer.... new blog! Not sure anyone will even read it but hey hers hoping!. My plan is to write about family happenings and maybe even some random things here and there. No real format. Just a mixture of everything. Hope you will continue to check back periodically and read my little blog. Hey, you are reading it now so that is a start :)

This is probably going to be so boring, and totally like a Christmas card letter but I thought my first blog would be a little update on what's currently up with my little family. So sit back and buckle up, here we go...

Bryan- Keeping very busy with work and all his projects. Still owns and working on cooltext.com but his main focus right now is a new virtual reality game he has been working on and having lots of fun with. Demos have been doing well and we are all very excited about this new venture. Bryan is so smart and creative and seriously keeps me in owe of all his many talents. He tries to make time 1 a week to meet with his friends for board game nights (think strategic board games) and really enjoys doing that. He loves his electric car and was very excited to recently get solar panels put on the house. He is a fan of Space ex and has enjoyed following them and watching all he can on them. He loves being a dad and has been having fun teaching the kids how to program and game. I think he is a keeper!

Amy(me)- Busy being a mom. I always thought life would maybe slow down as the kids got older but I could not be more wrong. It seems like all I am doing is carpooling a kid to one lesson, or practice , ortho, game, competition, or something or other! But I really could not be more proud of my kiddos. Its been fun to be home all day with Cloey and to run errands with her every day. She is my little buddy. It is pretty surreal to have a toddler again. I was called as a activity days leader for my church some months ago for the 8-9 year olds and I have been loving that! The girls are so sweet and I'm really in my element crafting and doing all things girly. It also helps that my partner is my good friend ;). I also started up taking my dance class again this year after taking last year off. If I didn't take last year off this would of been my 10th year taking it! Crazy hu? I really do love it and love all the girls I do it with. Plus I get to do my favorite thing, dance! I'm still a fan of Netflix and love to read. Nothing is better then crawling into bed after a long day and watching a Netflix movie or reading a good book!

Brookelyn- I cant believe that in March she will be 15! People she will have her learners permit! AHHH! This is all so crazy to her dad and I. She is growing into such a beautiful women. She is in the 9th grade and doing well in school. She still loves all things art and being creative. She enjoys to write stories and to also read a good book. She is the 2nd counsler in her church mia maid class and has fun going to her mutual activities. The biggest thing she has been involved in that is new is this past October she tried out for the American Fork High School winter guard/ color guard and made it!!! It has been a awesome and very very busy new experience for her. She is working hard and having a lot of fun! Her practice schedule is quite a lot but I cannot tell you how proud of her we are that she is doing it and managing it all. She has her first competition tomorrow and is nervous but excited for it. It will be fun next year when she will be on the field with the marching band! She is such a good kid and such a great big sister, We couldn't ask for a better babysitter! She has a few families in the neighborhood that love her as a babysitter to. I guess the exciting news is she is very close to getting her braces off! She's so happy about that! She's a good apple that one!

Vincent-Can you believe he's 12! I know, insane! He started Jr High this year and is loving it! He says Jr High is way better then elementary! He is also in the band! He plays the trombone and is having a lot of fun with that. He also enjoys his drama class. Really, the kid was born to perform so its a good fit! Hes very smart and doing well in school. He has a great friend group and it makes me so happy as a mom that he has that! He is very active in the scouting program and has been on quite a few scout camp outs. He loves those and its a awesome group! He loves young men and passing the sacrament. He also just recently started to play jr Jazz basketball and is really enjoying that! He and his buddies started a team and its been fun ton watch him play.  He's also in the gaming club at school and that's been really fun for him as well. His new adventure is that just a few weeks ago he got braces! He's real excited about that but luckily the work he needs done is not to intense. He is growing up to be quite a great man and I just love him to the moon and back!

Brenin-This dude is almost 10! Double digits here we come! This kid is so smart I tell you. He is excelling in school and really is a quick learner. He loves math and science and is very good at his video games.  He recently started Ballroom dancing at school and is having so much fun with that, He to has a lot of practices and competitions but is learning a lot, He has very awesome dance partners (he says that's the perk of ballroom dancing...the girls ;/ ) He's very good at it and we would of never known!  He to is very busy with scouts and is learning lots of achievements! He loves playing with his friends and his brother. His baby sister absolutely adores him and thinks he is the funniest thing since like forever! Brenin is really full of wisdom and truly is a friend to everyone and is the peacemaker to any conflict. He is such a old soul and always is there to give me a hug whenever I need it!

Cloey- 2years old and as cute as ever! Boy is she one unique toddler. She is hilarious! She truly brightens up our house and warms hearts. She is so clever and the stuff she catches on to amazes us! Im sure its because she has all these older siblings to look up to! She is all girl and loves tea parties, dolls, pet shops, princess, Disney. books, animals, stuffed toys, and her most favorite comfort item, a stuffed dragon by the company scentsy. She cant go to sleep without it. Our big accomplishment this last month was getting her off of bottles! YEA!! That was a hard one! She even found a old one today and threw it away herself. She is definetly moms little buddy , but really...mom wouldn't have it any other way. Now... if we could just get her to love nursery.... :)

Phew.... that was a lot. If your still with me and kept with me Congrats! Thanks! Sorry if I was a bore!  Like I said, I really hope to make this a new thing that I write on regulary. Maybe for the first bit ill alert via Facebook or what not when a new entry is up. How fun! Hope you'll take the journey with me! And remember.... don't let anyone ever dull your sparkle!