Have You Seen Trees?

Here's our home in Graham, Washington.  We like living in this house.  We feel very blessed.
Washington is very beautiful.  We love the trees!

Here is our Mary. She's almost 4 months now. A couple days ago she rolled over for the first time! (Front to back.)
Today she rolled over back to front for the first time. She's wanting to crawl. She's a sweetie!





Ice cream treat at DQ. 

Their new bunkbed. 
They love each other.  And they love Mary.

Isabelle is starting to read.  Wendell is learning to use the potty. 
Mom and Dad have been called as ward missionaries and Mom as RS teacher. 
We're meeting lots of nice people here in WA. 

Welcome to Washington

A principal reason I have not updated in so long is because I don't have a bunch of pictures. I think people generally prefer pictures over a bunch of reading.As avid a journal keeper I am, I don't really expect my ramblings to be delightfully devoured. Who has time or really cares much?I write more for me than for anyone else.So, when it’s a blog, posted for all to see, I feel less inclined to spill those thoughts.But here I am anyway, writing despite my lack of pictures.Why?Maybe it’s because our moving boxes are finally removed from our living spaces and I feel allowed to relax and write.Or maybe it’s because I finished another journal before I had the next one to start on (and I’m currently filling the blank front and back and title pages as I anxiously await my journal in the mail…) Maybe it’s because I miss my friends and I miss Manhattan and blogging (despite whether it’s read or not) feels a little bit like connecting back again.

Probably all of the above.

Our camera wasn’t working.I bought new rechargeable batteries, but then couldn’t find the charger.
When we finally found it, I couldn’t find the batteries.Then- where’s the camera?And where’s the time to actually charge the batteries and take pictures?!I can’t believe for the whole move, we’ve been without a camera.We’re finally starting to get a little more settled.And -yes!- I have the camera
ready to take pictures.It’s still temperamental, but I do believe it will work enough for me to take a decent amount for updating our picture collection.I know Grandma Brooksby and Brittney and others (Christina, Debbie,…?) took some pictures we’ll have to try and get those.

So, Washington.Here we are. It’s nice.I think pretty much most places are nice if you have the right attitude.In the RS Broadcast last Sat., Pres. Uchtdorf talked about not waiting for your golden ticked, rather making the most of your current situation.So instead of feeling sorry for myself for the lack of parks here (the nearest is 15 MIN away:( ), I need to suck it up and look at the bright side.At least it gives me another reason to like the rain.And I realized, the pioneers didn’t have parks.They turned out splendidly.The lack of parks for the kiddos was the least of their worries!  What do I have to complain about?! Not only do I have all my needs taken care of, but I have so many of my wants as well.Most importantly, Richard is here with me.We have 3 wonderful children.“Heaven is where you are,” I can say to them.

Well, Wendell is coughing and up from his nap.Right on time- 3:20.I don’t know why, but he’s pretty much had a cough for the past month.I’ll write more later, but post this now, or it won’t happen for another who knows how long!

Grrrr!Apparently I didn’t get to him soon enough.I went upstairs only to find him in Mary’s room –where she had been sleeping!  OK.Everyone’s up now.At least it’s not 5:30am- I won’t even go into my night last night.


Never a dull moment.

Amy

Mary Diane Brooksby

Born June 14, 2011 at 1:54 pm

7 lb 9 oz

20 inches

Just born.

Mother and baby. Amy did amazing during the delivery.

Proud sister and brother.

They both love to hold her.

Aren't they all so beautiful.

Getting ready to come home. She is so small.

Three kids in a row.

Some Summer Family Fun

Greetings! And no, we haven't had the baby yet, but we'll let you know when we do!

We've been enjoying every minute having Daddy home! It's been so fun to play. And he's such a huge help with the kids and around the house. I don't know how I would have survived this last month of pregnancy if he were still in school. What a blessing the Lord's timing is!!

We anticipate the baby's birth any day now. We have been earnestly hoping she'll come before my date to be induced (as Richard has training a week following that appointment- June13th.) At the same time, it has been a blessing she hasn't come quite yet; this family time being able to go out and make memories has been wonderful. Also, I guess that nesting instinct finally really kicked in and I can't believe how much I've gotten done around the house the past few days! I'm so proud of myself for getting rid of lots of stuff!

Another thing that was sort of on my would-be-nice-to-get-done-before-the-baby-comes mental list was posting some of the following pictures. Why? Because who wants to post past events when you have a baby to blog?! And it's not quite as interesting blogging when you have to backtrack events. Anyway, my point is... now that I'm posting this blog, maybe she'll be born now :)

So, here are some of our recent activities...

Tuttle Creek Lake

(The lake is the most recent of the following pictures; the rest are chronological)

It felt like California for a moment.

We're happy to report, the frog was alive this time. We named him Herman.

My belly is way to big for even a maternity swim suit. (I guess they just don't design them to cover up a woman's stomach anyway.)

Insect Zoo at the KSU Gardens

Pony (...and "Tractor") Riding at the Kings' Home

Wendell's and Isabelle's friend, Zeke came with us. Richard enjoyed Sister King's riding lawn mower; she enjoyed having him cut in and cut the grass.

I don't want to bother reordering the pictures any more than I already have. (There must be an easier way than the way I do it..) But Wendell rode first, then Zeke, the Isabelle.

Wendell and Isabelle do so well with animals. It amazes me sometimes how at such a young age, Wendell is fearless with all animals. It's neat. Unfortunately, he ended up having an allergic reaction, most likely to the pony. It's so sad because he loves horses so much. Washing his hands and face helped a lot. We ended up not putting any medicine on him; (we did give him a little Benadryl when we got home.)

Our friends Charlie and Pat King :)

Their property is so picturesque. (Evidence that I was raised in the city?)

Splash Pad at City Park

Our 6-Year Anniversary !

Richard surprised me with a recliner for our Anniversary! He is such a sweetie!

The kids were happy as larks with Anna while on our date. She (and her sister, Claire) are great babysitters.

We perused an art gallery then went out to eat. We were going to eat at Harry's (one of Manhattan's fancier restaurants), but the thought of all-you-can eat breadsticks and salad enticed us to the Olive Garden (even though I'm almost positive that's where we ate for last year's anniversary.)