This looks like a picture my Dad would take... not posed! Ryan took it and yeah none of us are looking or smiling, but this is how it actually is so I like it, and I love the green in the background. So glad we have mountains so close to home!
Cute Nye Family! Nate, Emmy, Jansen, Natalie, and Jessica.
Smores!
Brinley still talks about how much we walked, and walked, and walked, in San Fran :)
Excited to get on the train!
All loaded up on the trolley!
Standing at the top of Lombard street
Pizza, Pizza, SO yummy! Our Nelson classic, half pepperoni and half pineapple.
We took an open top bus tour across the city and it was a lot of fun. The kids took a little nap and it got a little cold crossing the golden gate bridge, but it was a lot of fun!
A view of the "painted ladies" with the city behind it. Best known from Full House.
Golden Gate Bridge
View of the city from the Golden Gate Bridge
Pier 39. The kids were pretty excited to see the sea lions... but they pretty much just laid there so it wasn't as exciting as they had hoped :)
After a LONG day in the city we headed to Ghiradelli's for icecream... only $28, and the kids got single scoop icecream cones!
Day #2 Ryan headed off to work and the kids and I relaxed at the pool in the morning and then headed out to lunch with Anna. After lunch we went to see the Oakland LDS temple on our way into San Fran. It was BEAUTIFUL!
This is the view from the top off the temple. I wish it would of been a clearer day because I have heard you can see all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge, but seeing the Bay Bridge was cool too.
Brin took this shot of Marsie girl.
We got to stay in the hotel that Ryan always stay in for school, in downtown San Fransisco. This was the view out his window.
Going to see Ryan at school... the kids were so excited even though we had quite the walk there. It was a quick visit, but they loved getting to meet people and see where Daddy goes to school.
Casen sure loved getting to see his Uncle Alex! It was a long walk back to the hotel, so Alex gave Casen a lift :)
Day #3 we headed to the Cal Academy of Sciences museum. Alex and Anna joined us and we had a great time. They got to meet the white alligator as soon as we walked in.
Inside the Rain Forest!
View from under one of the aquariums looking up to the rain forest. The kids had fun down there!
I didn't catch it on camera, but the kids loved getting to pet the starfish!
They had SO many neat jellyfish, these were one of many!
This was the snake used in the movie Anaconda! It was pretty neat to see, just one giant, complicated robot!
I guess I felt the need to make this extra chubby face, as if my face wasn't chubby enough already! Brinley especially liked this one! :)
This is what our yard looked like over 20 years ago. In the middle of nowhere AZ. Now Gilbert is HUGE and my parents still have their own little oasis. On the right you can the basement where our house is being built. My Dad "built it" and tried to pay as he went, it took 7 years!
Here are my kids playing on the same slide that we put in our "pool". Same area of the yard too. Just on the other side of those trees is my Grandma's award winning Rose Garden, that didn't even exist when I was that age!
I loved story time, and I'll always remember that awesome couch! Brian, Jenn, Mom, Me, and Mark
Jenn and I often had coordinating clothes in the same fabric, but that didn't match exactly. I still remember the piano, yeah, I was pretty good :) I feel like I look like Casen in this pic.
I was VERY excited about these sandals. Brinley just kept asking, why I was so happy. So I showed her the picture below and told her she got really excited about presents at her birthday when she was little too :)
Seriously? I just can't get over this girl.
Brinley got cavities filled for the first time, and she did amazing. Not a tear or any whining. I was so proud. But hopefully not so many cavities next time :)
They did this all on their own, I love it when they're friends!
Casen loves his sister, but we struggle with her safety at times. This was a good safe moment!
Casen had me wrap him up in his blanket after swimming, the he said "Hey Mom, I look like Jesus". :)
Casen got to go to Sonic with just Ryan. He loved being with his Daddy, and the shake too. He sure misses Ryan since he's been so busy with school. I'm glad they had a little time just the two of them.
These kids LOVE playing with their Daddy, and Marlee always watched from a distance. She was excited to get in on the action this time!
We found Casen's scooter covered with what we thought were tiny seeds one morning. At a closer look we discovered it was hundreds of TINY snails!
Ofcourse we had to catch some as pets :) Here is my pinky showing you how small they really were!
One of our little recipes exchanges. Despite the craziness with kids everywhere, they always seem to enjoy themselves :)
Brinley's first day of class with Kinley, Kylie, and Avery. She was so excited to get started and has been doing great. She can't wait to be on STAGE! :)
Oh how I could eat these right now! They were one mean batch of Caramel Cinnamon Rolls. YUM!
I wanted to make our own "Egg Mc Muffins" at home one day. I went for the style on the right, and Casen invented the style on the left. Grape jelly and bananas :)
MaKayla and Brinley in our sweet cardboard/blanket fort :)
Brinley managed to pick up the train track with out it falling apart, I wish you could see the whole thing!
Helping Marlee as she was still learning to sit. She has pretty much mastered it now :)
Showing off her 2 teeth. She got them at 4.5 months, but I think this was our first real good shot of them!
Brinley in our archway. I think that would take a lot of strength!
Don't know why this picture kept flipping even though I rotated it, but it still made the list
Marlee loved her first strawberry. Totally brought me back to Brinley at this age sucking on her first strawberry.
Brinley's letter to Aunt Jess
Casen's letter to Aunt Jess
My girls :)
They were being quiet so I had to check on them and this is what I found. So sweet.
Here is "Aunt Jess" on her mission! This was at her first baptism! We sure are proud of her and grateful for her good example of selfless service to the Lord.