Caroline Comes Home

Baby Born On Ben's Speaking Sunday

Rebecca kept telling us that she just knew she was going to be having the baby early. I kept telling her she better not have the baby on the day Benjamin was speaking in church as that was going to be an extremely busy day with lots of people here and I would have enough to do that day without having the added responsibility of caring for 2-year-old Brooke.

Well, I have proof that children do NOT listen to their parents no matter how old they are (or no matter how pregnant they are) because in the early morning hours of that very Sabbath, Rebecca woke us up to tell us her water broke and the baby was coming--2 weeks early!!!

She left this note for us on the cabinet.


I appreciated the combined efforts of everyone to get Brooke all beautified and ready to go to church. Laurie dressed her, Emma found her shoes, Natalie got the hair supplies and Sarah styled her hair.


Benjamin gave an excellent talk in church and then we invited all the friends and family who came to join us for a luncheon at our home. Despite the 50+ people who were here, we managed to keep good track of little Brooke. Here she is getting fed.


It was a fun dinner party that Dallas and Rebecca missed out on, but we did send some of the good food to the hospital with those who went that day to see the new baby. Here are some party photos.



















Glen continued taking good care of Brooke. He got the popcorn poppers going after she brought him the stuff and begged him to make some for her.


This bright-eyed look is familiar. Some of us are wondering if Brooke's new baby sister will have those same big eyes.


By early evening, Brooke was so exhausted that she fell asleep in her Grandpa's arms.


As she slept, she really had no idea why her parents had abandoned her.


Sweet dreams little girl and enjoy being the queen of the household for just another day and then move over--baby Caroline has joined the family!!

Cook-Out In the Mountains

When Jacob's family came to visit the last week of June, he requested that we provide his children a mountain cook-out experience similar to the ones he remembered going on with his grandparents when he was a child and came to visit them.

The cook-out day started with breakfast at home. Natalie and Emma got in place on the cabinet so they could help their Grandpa fix breakfast. They are patiently waiting for the bread to thaw while Glen and Benjamin do some talking.



Everyone, including Luke, enjoyed Glen's famous French toast breakfast.


Emma and Natalie were so happy when their Grandpa played their favorite game, Littlest Pet Shop, with them while waiting until it was time for us to head off to the canyon.


We drove to a canyon just 10 minutes away from our home and it was so beautiful there. We all had a good time roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, eating and playing while we were there.






Sorry--no pictures of Klarissa because I forgot to take my camera and when I ran home to get the marshmallows that I had forgotten (HOW did I forget a critical element of a mountain cook-out?!?!??), I brought the camera back and Klarissa had left with her family by then.

I'd say Emma makes a very cute companion for Abe in Klarissa's absence.






Poor little Luke was having a hard time. He kept tripping and skinning up his knees.


Someone else was having a hard time, also. Rebecca was very uncomfortable with her pregnant tummy and kept telling us over and over again that she was going to have the baby early...


Sarah and Jeff missed the cook-out, but they were so good to help get the food ready for our big dinner the next day while Rebecca kept telling us over and over again that she was going to have the baby early...


TO BE CONTINUED...