Party Like a Mermaid

Brynnli turns 8 this year! We love Brynnli so much and are so excited to celebrate our fun loving, hilarious, dramatic, silly, beautiful girl. 

Brynnli wanted a mermaid themed party this year. She woke up bright and early on her birthday and ran out to see her presents by the fireplace. We let her open her outfit for the day. 

Caden is seriously the greatest brother. He knew how much Brynnli loves breakable erasers, so he got her some with his own money and wrapped them for her. Needless to say, Brynnli loved them.

We had cinnamon rolls for breakfast. 

Then she was off to school. Brynnli got to take treats for her classmates. Her teacher gave her a balloon treat and her class sang to her. 

After school we got ready for her friends to come over for her friend party. She invited Olivia, Lindsay, Audrey, Paizley, Annie, and Devri. 

Makayla is the best birthday helper. She ran the music for musical surfboards. 

Then we played Feed the Sharks. 

We had pizza for dinner

Then the kids got to paint a Mermaid sun catcher.  

We opened presents and Brynnli got so many cute crafts and Barbies. 

After presents we played the fishing game. The kids thought this was so funny and they loved their goody bags. 

To end the party we had donuts

To end our fun night we let Brynnli open her presents. She got this cute dog where she had to groom it, wash it, blow dry, and do it's hair. She even got to paint the dog's nails. 

Brynnli also got this cute night mask that she can color. 

Then just a few days later we had Brynnli's family party. 

We played Musical surfboards again and went fishing. 

This round of fishing was so funny because when they kids got their prize, they were surprised to find garbage, like old masks, car keys, and paper. Some kids thought it was so funny (Caden) and others cried (Mason). 

Tyler really makes things fun because he had Makayla's mermaid tail blanket and a narwhal that he would flap to make it look like there was a real mermaid and narwhal in the water. 

We opened presents where Brynnli was spoiled with so many toys and clothes. 

She got this huge LOL doll set that she was so excited about. 

Brynnli made her birthday buddy, Grandpa, a cute note and picture. 

Then they blew out the candles on their donuts. One is 8 and one is 68. 

We really have the best family around. They are all so supportive and fun. 

Happy Birthday sweet girl! We hope you had the best 8th birthday... Mermaid style. 

Brynnli, we love you so much. You bring so much joy to our family. You always know how to lighten the mood with a funny remark or a silly look that just makes us all laugh. You have such a great outlook on life and always manage to find the positive in things. You are passionate (and sometimes dramatic) about things, but we love what a beautiful girl you are inside and out. We are amazed everyday at how smart you are. You excel at math and are such a good friend to everyone at school. We admire the confidence you have and how you are always wanting to try new things like choir. You are a beautiful dancer and excel in whatever you put your mind to. I love that you can play for hours upstairs in the playroom. You have the best imagination and can turn anything (even garbage) into something creative. We love our baby girl so much and are so proud of the sweet girl you are becoming. We can't wait to see what this year has in store for you. 

Here's Brynn's answers to her birthday interview questions:

What are some things that you like or are popular today? "Lol Dolls. I like Barbies and playing family. " 

What do you like most about yourself right now? "That I'm good at dancing and that I have lots of friends."

What do you think your future job will be? "Right now I'm thinking a dance teacher and a school teacher." 

What are you good at? "Dancing and drawing and math"

Who are your friends and what do you like about them? "My friends are Audry and Hazel. What I like about Audrey is that she runs and it gets me tired. Hazel gave me a bell necklace."

Where is your favorite place to eat? "Red Robin or Culvers because they have really good Mac and cheese"

What makes you really annoyed? "When people don't let me talk"

What makes you feel proud? "When I'm the first one to finish math"

Which of your nicknames do you like the most and why? "Brian because dad's the only one who makes fun of me for it."

What is your favorite subject in school? "Math and writing"

What do you wish you could do that mom and dad won't allow? "Jump on the tramp when you're not home and do sleepovers"

What is your favorite thing about Makayla? "I share a room with her and she talks to me"

What is your favorite thing about Caden? "That he plays with me. We like to play catch on the stairs"

What is your favorite memory with Dad? "When he took me to the ice cream place"

What is your favorite memory with Mom? "When you drive me to dance on Tuesdays and I talk the whole time".

Fall is in the Air

We started off fall the best way we know how.. The Land!!

We did all our favorite things at the land. Can you believe how grown up this cutie is looking. She's a pro at driving the side by side. 

We played lots of games 

And Caden and Tyler fished. 

The kids saw this kitten hanging around. At first we thought it was feral, and despite Tyler telling me not to feed it, I couldn't let it go hungry, so I gave it some food. It was a very friendly kitten and I don't think it was feral. Makayla got kind of attached to it and was so sad when we had to leave. Terry and Craig haven't seen the kitten since, so we don't know what happened to it. but at least we have this cute memory.

Bella is such a spoiled dog. This is how she spends the majority of her day. 

It's that time of year again when I make raspberry jam with my parents. We made so much jam this time. I feel bad for my parents because they grow the raspberries, clean them and then we make a mess of their kitchen, which my mom ends up cleaning up and then I take the majority of the jam home. 

If making jam that day wasn't enough, I decided to go home and make zucchini bread and zucchini casserole. This was the aftermath of my cooking

But look at this amazingness!!

The kids did not share my enthusiasm about the zucchini casserole. From the looks of their faces you would think I was trying to serve them rotten food. 

But ice cream from Menchies they manage to eat just fine. Kids these days. 

Caden's basketball team had a few games at this basketball facility. They had the coolest mural of Michael Jordan with the best quote: "I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost over 300 games. 28 times I have been trusted to take the winning shot and missed. I have failed over and over again. And that is why I succeed."

Good perspective on all aspects of life. I hope as my kids read this they will remember that failing is a good thing. It's how we learn and grow. 

Caden makes the cutest comics after all of his games. He gives a play by play of how he did at each game. 

This picture is so exciting and so sad all at once. Craig and Terry sold their house and moved all of their stuff into our garage and Tracy and Jeremy's garage. This is the last picture at their house that they lived in for over 40 years. Its sad to think of all the fun parties and memories at that house are over, but we are so excited to make new memories at their new house. 

Their new house is coming along slowly. Thanks to covid, supply chain issues, and lack of workers, the house is taking longer than anyone anticipated. Hopefully they will be in their house a few months into the new year. In the mean time, Brynnli would like to remind you that "poo-da-potties" are disusing. 

Ok, this is just gross how flexible she is. Seriously, who can make their let go like this?

Guess who's nails match her Stanley cup? And if that doesn't scream "Utah mom" I don't know what does. 

So Tuesdays are rough for Brynnli. She has dance for 4 hours, then we have to wait in the car for about 30 minutes until Makayla is done with dance. Don't worry though, we have really great conversations with her. This particular day she was telling Tyler that all she talks about with her friends at lunch is boys. 

Heaven help us. 

Aww.. look how cute these kids are walking to school. 

Do you know what makes watching the Utes even more fun? Watching the game outside on our projector with the fire going. I love fall nights like this. 

For years I have trimmed Makayla's hair, but as she is getting older, she is wanting more of a stylish cut, which I obviously do  not know how to do. So I took her to get a real hair cut and look how amazing it looks and how grown up she looks. 

Well if this isn't truth. Never thought this would be me, yet here we are with room rocks. 

Just a little pep talk from Dad at one of Caden's games. 

What, you don't sleep with a unicorn tie die eye mask at night? Only Brynn does? 

The most exciting thing this month just might be the fact that this handsome boy got his braces off!! Here's a little before picture. 

Oh, wow. Look at that California dream boat. 

It's amazing what braces do. Here's our handsome boy just one year apart. 

Tyler had to go to Toronto for work and they all went to the Blue Jay's game. 

Another double rainbow... isn't that two double rainbows that I've seen this year?

This year celebrates 50 years since Title 9 was mandated by law. It protects people from discrimination in education and allowed for women to play more equally in sports. Tyler's aunt Jo spoke at a event the U of U hosted so we all got to get dressed up in fancy clothes and go to a fancy dinner. 

The kids were so great to try the interesting salad

But they loved their steak. 

Jo did a great job talking about the impact women's sports have had on her life. Go Utes!!