Here is Brooklynn learning a cart-wheel at her tumbling class. This class has alot less kids than the dance class did so she gets more one-on-one attention. After trying both classes, I asked Brooklynn which one she prefers and she has decided on the tumbling class. Even though I did tumbling for years when I was younger and will enjoy watching her learn, I was kind of disappointed. Brooklynn "has the music in her" and has been dancing around the house since she was a baby. She LOVES dance and anything to do with music so I was surprised at her choice. When I asked her "why" she said that the dance class was "too pushy". I inquired some more and discovered that it was the large size of the dance class that she didn't care for. Granted, it really was too big. There were so many girls that they were literally chest-to-back, with no room to stretch or practice when they were on the "bar". Brooklynn is a little younger and shorter than most of the other girls in that class so she caught a few elbows to the face and got a few toes stepped on since she didn't have any shoes on. I told her it was her choice, so we will be having fun doing tumbling this year, but I think I'll let her give dance another try next year when she's in the older class that has fewer girls. My parents always had me and Troy try everything at least once so we could decide what suited us best. I'm thankful they did and I'm thankful they supported us in out choices.

Thanks Mom & Dad!

So, I decided to take get Brooklynn involved in either dance or tumbling. "Twist-n-Shout" is the only place in the surrounding 3 counties that teaches dance so you can imagine how crowded and expensive it is...but I though we'd give it a shot. This video is from my digital camera and shows Brooklynn in the middle with a black shirt and red pants. They are doing tap dance right now and Brooklynn LOVES doing tap here at home so I thought she'd love it. She seemed to have alot of fun.

Are they made of sugar???

As I was cleaning tonight, I overheard Russ reading Brooklynn her scripture stories when they came to the storey on Noah's Ark.
Russ: "Noah was a great prophet who tried to call the people to repentance, but they would not repent and continued in their evil ways. So the Lord told Noah to build an Ark and gather his family and the animals together. Once the Ark was built, the Lord sent a great flood that covered the whole earth and the wicked people were washed away".
With a quizzicle look on her face Brooklynn said: "Were the wicked people made of sugar?"
It took me a couple seconds before I remembered the many rainy days that she's been ushered quickly into a car or a house with the admonition, "Hurry up! You're made of sugar and sugar melts in the rain!" Russ and I got quite a kick out of her innocence and how she takes things so literal. Although it was a funny moment, it made me think about how grateful I am for our Savior who allows all our wickedness to be "washed away" like sugar in the rain.

I can read!!!

Brooklynn has known her alphabet since before she was 2 years old and soon after that she learned the accompanying sounds. Just this past year we've been working on her writing but I wasn't going to start into reading until she was better at writing. But being the curious little thing that she is, she's always asking what certain words are and how they're spelled, etc...so I guess we inadvertently taught her how to sound things out. She came to me last night holding a Christmas card with pictures of my friend's family on the front and, as usual, was asking who all these people were. She was spelling out all their names and then just started sounding them out and saying all of their names. At first, I thought maybe I had told her their names on a previous occasion, so I picked up her "Friend" magazine and started asking her to read other short words. She sounded them all out and was able to tell me all of the words!!! I beamed with delight and made such a fuss...so you can guess she wanted to do the REST of the evening! We read all the words we could find around the house (as long as they weren't too complicated). I know that many kids read at this age, but I am just particularly impressed with the fact that we haven't really even started working on it. I know, I know...EVERY mother thinks their kid is a genius, right? Even so...I was VERY PROUD of my little Shnooky!!!

Merry Christmas

Isabelle enjoyed some rockin'-chair-time with

Great Grandma after a nice long nap.

This year we had family dinner on Christmas Eve down at Buster and Lorna's house and then got together with the whole family (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc...) on Christmas day at Grandma's house for leftovers. Brooklynn was especially cute this year. She wrote Santa a letter and and left him cookies and juice and also left carrots for his reindeer. On Christmas morning, she slept in (thankfully, since I was up until 1:00 am wrapping and aranging a "thank you" from Santa) but around 7:30ish she came running down the hall to our room where I was changing Isabelle's diaper and Brooklynn said, "Is it morning time? Is it Christmas yet?" I replied that it was indeed Christmas morning to which she said "I know. I already looked!" I guess she stole a glance into the living room before venturing down the hall to us.

A couple of days before Christmas, I was trying to tease her a bit and said, " Oh no, Brooklynn! We don't have a fireplace so how is Santa going to get your presents in our house??!!" A worried look crossed her face for only a split second before you could see the wheels a turnin'. She tapped her finger on her chin a few times as she tried her best to think of a solution to this unfortunate predicament and then Viola!! "Don't worry Mommy, Santa is magic! He'll find a way". Then she was off on her merry way without another word.

Jingle Bells

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

While the adults were passed out in a turkey-induced stupor, the "youngins" showed their appreciation for the delectable meal by using their seemingly endless energy to burn off those pesky calories by raking, jumping into and throwing Grandma's leaves in every direction.
How cute are they???!!!
Okay, DAD!!!! You've been chastising me for months now because I never have any pictures of myself on here. I'm sorry, but I just HATE having pictures taken of myself so I included Isabelle to sweeten it up. So this is for you, Poppa.

Aunt Erica's Wedding

Here are some pictures from Erica's wedding. Did I or didn't I marry into a family of super-models??? Not only are these sisters gorgeous, but they are kind, talented and humble. Me...intimidated? Nah! Here is Brooklynn and Isabelle with their cousins, Garret and Michael, being so patient while we moms try and capture "the perfect picture". Trust me folks...it doesn't exist. :~)
After an hour of picture taking in the sun and long sleeves, Brooklynn just broke down and started crying. I'm glad I was patient with her (for once) since we found out later that the poor, little thing had a virus and had a tempereature of 102.9!!! Needless to say, she got to eat alot of popsicles and watch alot of TV on the couch for the next few days.

Fun Times!

You are so funny, Grandma!

Good morning, Sissy!!

Yes, I know...it looks like Isabelle is wearing either a beehive hairdo or a chocolate ice cream on her head!!!

Trick or Treat!!!

The sweetest little witch ever...and every witch needs a black cat!!!