what the boys have been up to...

 Carson gave me the sweetest little gift.  It's a temple made out of legos.

He thought of everything - a golden Captain Moroni, a gold-handled door, and best of all...

Rocket Boosters in the Back!

Here's a sign the boys have on their door.  Carson wrote it in retaliation to a sign Halle and her friends displayed on her bedroom door about no boys being allowed.  Carson's sign says:  

Girls have cooties!

Boys are cool!

No girls allowed!

Cool Zone!

She was meant to be a big sister!

 Halle is incredible with Charlotte.  She feeds her, changes her diapers (at least the wet ones), picks out her clothes, reads her stories, and in fussy moments, is even willing to sit on the hard floor and read so that Charli won't cry because no one is near her.  Halle, I love you.  You are amazing!

Big Brothers are great - and that ain't no story!

 She can't fully appreciate it now, but someday I hope Charlotte realizes how fortunate she is to have siblings that love her so much.  They love to sing to her, play with her, hold her, and best of all read stories to her.  Here's Wyatt reading a library book to his baby sister (in the cuuuuuuuutest voice)!

This is my brother, Eric.  Isn't he handsome?  I love his eyes and his smile.  Charli loved him, too.  Eric's so cute with babies.  He probably wouldn't want me to say that - heck, he doesn't want me to say ANY of this.  But I just have say that he's a pretty great guy, even though I know he jokes about certain stuff just to bug me, and even though I know he must hate it when I get on my soapbox.  But that's just because deep down he knows I'm right and he's wrong.  Right, bro?  ;)

Ladies, I still can't believe this guy is on the market.  If anyone has ever dreamed of dating [marrying] a guy that's like a crusty marshmallow...tough on the outside, handy around the house, loves to be outdoors, loves to hunt, loves to camp, loves animals, and then inside that rugged cowboy exterior a man that is soft and gooey around babies, silly and fun with kids, who works hard to provide for his family, and who loves to laugh and have a good time, LOOK NO FURTHER.  Any girl would count herself lucky to have someone like my brother.  (Be warned, however.  He cheats big-time at Kings in the Corner.)

Eric, I want you to know how much it means to me and Brett that whenever we're in town you make an effort to come over to Mom's and visit with us for a while.  It means a lot that if you're in our neck of the woods, you take the time to stop by or let us have you over for the night.  I give you a lot of crap about stuff and you give me a lot of crap (a LOT OF CRAP!) about stuff, but I know you love me and I hope you know I love you.  You're a wonderful brother.  Thanks.

Hope
(one very lucky sister)

meeting our new sister...

After the kids got out of school on the 17th, Brett brought them up to see me - well, not me as much as someone else. Someone they'd been thinking and dreaming and imagining about since summertime, and she was finally here!

They brought with them a beautiful pink bouquet and the sweetest card:

I thought it was cute how everyone was sitting on the couch or chair, but as soon as Daddy got baby sister out of the bassinet and sat down in the rocker, everyone jumped out of their seats and just "had" to stand close to get a better look! Charli was only hours old and already drawing crowds!

They were just as enamored with her as we were!