Pumpkin Patch

I have been so busy lately with sessions and editing I haven't had much time for anything else. I am so behind on our family blog. I pretty much have had a session every evening for the past few weeks and will continue to have a session every night (besides a few days off) up until Halloween. I love it and I really enjoy my work but October is my favorite month and I never feel like I really get to enjoy it because I am always so busy with my photography. This year I am smart enough to take the whole month of December off so I can enjoy the season with my family...but who knows I am such a people pleaser and I can never tell people no.

With my crazy busy schedule at night I was worried we weren't going to be able to take the kiddos to the pumpkin patch this year. Our first open night wouldn't of been until the 22nd and I was afraid all the good pumpkins would be gone by than. But lucky us I had a someone cancel their session so we packed up the kiddos, picked up my mom, and headed to Shoemakers pumpkin patch. We have done this the past 3 years. Usually we take Danee (aaron's sister) but she wasn't able to go that night and I couldn't go any other time so this was our first year without Danee...but we still enjoyed our little outing!

Mylee loved playing in the mud and Austin was picking out all of the big pumpkins! I just loved spending some quality time with my little family! :)

Playdate with Grandma

The weather has been so WONDERFUL the past few weeks! I love, love, LOVE fall! We have been taking advantage of the perfect weather as much as we can lately. Austin has loved playing in the backyard while Aaron builds a shed. I really am dreading the snow that I know will probably start falling on Halloween. But if the snow could stay away until Thanksgiving it would be wonderful (I have many sessions to photograph. I hate rescheduling.) Anyways the kids even played out in the water last week when it was in the high 70's - I figured I'd let them play one last time.
Anyways last week my mom surprised me and the kids during the day and took us to Jensen's Grove for an hour to run around and play. It was so nice to let Mylee just run - and she LOVED it! Austin just threw rocks in the water, Grandma tried to teach him how to skip rocks.

Softball Season is done...

So this summer was the first summer I have played softball in 5 years...just seems like I have been pregnant or with a newborn for the past 3 years so I wasn't interested.

I was so nervous about playing since I hadn't been on a field in years and obviously I was WAY out of shape.

But an old college team mate asked me to play on her team and I decided it was now or never! I am so glad I did. The women’s season was a little rough to start out with - first game I pulled my hamstring and had many bruises by the end of the game LOL but oddly enough I liked it! :) I played catcher (which I was happy about since I was so rusty and the oldest one on the team - yeah most of the team was about 20). We ended up taking 4th in the tournament.

While I did women’s Aaron played men’s league. He had a rough season trying to get dependable people to play. But I think he enjoyed it. We were lucky enough that our games weren't at the same time (most of the time) so we could shift the kids back and forth - they spent a lot of time at the fields this summer. Austin LOVES "beball".

But the best part of softball season this year was co-ed.

Aaron and I were lucky enough to get to play together and help put together a team (thanks a million to his parents who helped out SOOOOO much with the kids - we are very lucky!). I was a little afraid to play on the same team as my husband but glad I did - he was wonderful! I actually felt like I could handle playing in the in field again and I got to play my old base again - 3rd! :) I loved it by the end of the season....even though it is frustrating that I am no where near the skill level I was once at! My reflexes are so slow now, LOL!

Anyways I had to throw a little post in here about our softball seasons since that is where we always were in the evenings....

OH and we didn't place in the co-ed tournament but we did pretty good we were about 50-50 for the season and the same in tournament play, hopefully next year we can have a more reliable team (we always had to find subs, the teammates that were always there were so fun to play with!!!).

We really enjoyed playing! And it's good to be out doing things again, LOL sometimes being a stay at home mom gets to you and you don't do anything for yourself. It was nice to be doing something that's fun and active for myself again!

Jackson Hole 2010

I can't believe our annual Brendle family Jackson Hole trip is already over. We look forward to it all year and it just doesn't seem long enough. Well it is only 2 days so it is really short. Every year we go to Jackson Hole with my family and stay at a condo for conference weekend. This year Aaron decided to do a golf tournment the same weekend so I took the kids by myself. They were so well behaved I lucked out! :)

here are some photos from the trip:

Austin's first elk experience

I think my dad likes Mylee :)

My silly kiddos

Mylee and Kaidence - Kaidence loved having Mylee around this year

and Mylee LOVED having Kaidence carry her everywhere.

Me and my kiddos after lunch

Love this little cutie

My little cheeseball

Austin and Mylee with Grandma and Grandpa Brendle

They look so sweet and innocent - wish they would do this for me during portrait photos!

I posted more photos from Jackson here on my photo blog if you want to check them out.

No longer a baby

My baby girl isn't a baby anymore. She had her one year check-up and shots, her new stats are:

16 lbs. 6 ounces and 28 inches
(that's were Austin was when he was about 4 months old LOL)

This puts her between percentile 10 and 25 for height

and below percentile 5 for weight.

She is a tiny thing. The doctor showed a little concern about her growth pattern and I have to take her in every month and get her weighed. Which amazes me because she is such a good eater! She LOVES food!

Other things she loves are:
-Stuffed Animals
-playing with Austin
-drinking out of a straw
-her bottle (I am going to have a hard time with this)
-baths
-walking (which is turning into running)
-chew on toothbrushes
-Likes to play fetch - this is pretty cute.
-Climbing stairs

Things she doesn't like:
-bows in her hair
-car seat
-being told "no"
-when you take ANYTHING away from her
-doesn't like to travel
-Doesn't like sleeping anywhere BUT her crib

She still doesn't talk and that worries me. She will say da da and ma ma once and a while but for the most part she is just quiet and content.
She likes sippy cups but prefers her bottle.
She is still in size 2 diapers.
Wears size 3 shoes now
Is in size 6-9 clothes (I still have a lot of 3-6 clothes she wears).
We finally took her out of her infant car carrier and bought her a car seat...she looks so small in it.
Still only has 2 teeth. Her upper two have been swollen for like 2 months but have yet to break the gums.
Well that's a little update on out little girl! She is such a blessing to us and we LOVE her to death!

Of course what's an update without some pictures, these are from the past month:

Enjoying her sippy

We are finally starting to put her in a high chair...it's a funny sight. You can't even see her feet because she is so tiny! But I think she likes it!

Climbing the stairs

loving grown up food!

She LOVES her mac n cheese!

I finished her 1-year portraits and I have more posted here on my photo blog if you want to see.

Mylee's 1st Birthday Bash

Here are some pictures from Mylee's birthday bash last Saturday...

I had so much fun planning Mylee's party, some say I was a little over the top but I don't care I wanted to go all out for my baby girl.

To see more picture of the birthday bash details check out this post on my photo blog.

Time to reflect...

As I sit here on my computer (at 3:45 a.m.) I am full of so much emotion!

Why you ask...well you see my baby girl just turned one!

It is truly a bitter-sweet moment for me. This year has gone by so fast. I no longer have a baby. My baby is stepping into her Toddler years and it is bringing me to tears. Mylee has been such a wonderful baby (even if she didn't sleep through the night until she was 10-months-old). I am very sad she isn’t my baby anymore but I am also very excited to see her discover new things and watch little personality grow.

When Austin was a baby I was full of so much love and I always wondered if I could possibly have any room left to love another child. Then the day came when Mylee was born, she looked up at me with those baby blue eyes and my heart magically grew. She has been such a blessing to me. I can't believe Heavenly Father has trusted me with such a sweet and precious spirit. She may only be one, and a tiny little thing, but she has an amazing presence. It's so hard to put into words, but all she does is give you that little innocent, two tooth grin and time just stops.

I've been told by many people that there is nothing like your first child...you have a special bond with the first child and no other child. I completely disagree! Yes I have a wonderful bond with Austin but I have a totally different bond with Mylee and neither is stronger than the other. I could never favor one over the other. My heart has magically grown to fit both of them in it! I can’t imagine a life without either one.

Who ever said, “being a mom is the greatest gift in the world" was right! Yes my photography means a lot to me and it's a passion of mine but I would give it up in a second if it came in the way of my children (which I have great admiration for a fellow photographer who did)! My kids have changed my life and made me more complete. I thank my father in heaven everyday for my little blessings. And how lucky am I to know that I get to spend eternity with the man I love and the kids I adore!

I think I am pretty lucky! :)

Little Miss Mylee I can't believe you are one! You are my little munchkin, I am so glad you picked us! You may be little but I can already tell you have greatness within you! You have a wonderful big brother who will protect you. A Daddy who is already wrapped around your finger. And a mommy who has been blessed by you!

Happy Birthday "My My" the world is a better place because of you!

We love you!