Ian and BYU

Just before football season starts we have this little tradition of checking out the stadium and the excitement of a new football season really sets in!  This year BYU made some improvements to the stadium that included 2 HUGE new video score boards and a ribbon of screens around the tops of the end zone stands.

My favorite picture of the day.  It's like, "Come son, let me show you your future..."

One of these on each end zone now.

The kids were super excited, but not as excited as Mike was!  Ha ha.

The girls love making Y's.

 Someday I'll be IN the picture...  If I'd only brought the tripod!

Ian turned 1!  I kind of skipped over my Dad and brother Sam's visit out here which included a trip to the zoo, the temple in Brigham City, and Ian's birthday.  Never fear!  I will come back to them another day when I have a little more time.  I promise!!!!!!

Ian loves playing with toys more than any other child we've had.  It is normal for me to just find him in his room playing quietly all by himself.  He's such a good little guy.

Eryn took this picture.  She really likes cameras and wants to take pictures.  The Disney Princess camera we got for her for Christmas last year was a huge mistake!  It was total crap.  I need to suck it up and get her a point and shoot that can actually take pictures.  My SLR is just too heavy for her.

On Saturday was have this tradition of cinnamon rolls and Ian is really starting to get excited for them now!

 Fast post for now, but more to come later!  I'm busy taking pictures and doing things.  September is turning out to be far busier than I had thought.

Family Pictures

Yesterday we tried to take the McCorristin Family picture with all of Mike's brothers and sisters and their kids.  We were first to get there and had our pictures taken first.  These were some of the ones that I had Andrew (Mike's brother) take with my camera.  I edited and Frankensteined a couple of them together, but they aren't too bad! 

The skirts the girls are wearing I made (with a lot of help from a friend).  Plus, I made their little fabric hair flowers too.

My Hair

Look Mom!  It's blonder again and no I didn't cut off too much.

Just Playing

I've been busy taking pictures and growing my "business" and loving how busy I've been  lately.  Except me spending more time on the computer means that the kids spend more time just playing around the house.  Summer is great, but it's sooooo hot out lately that we've been inside a lot more than the troops would prefer.  Here is a bit of what they've been doing.

Thank you Grandma for letting us steal some batteries from you to make the toys noisy again.  The children LOVE them even more now that they are incredibly annoying!

Eryn now wants to be a doctor so that she, "can give kids shots."  She's been practicing on her stuffed animals.  She has drawn charts and "brain scans" of them and she discusses what's wrong with them to Brooke and how she needs to take better care of them.

Ian almost has 4 teeth now and is trying desperately to walk.

She's finally turning into a ham when she sees the camera.  (The Photographer Mommy rejoices!)

I put a couple of these on my photog blog, but in case you missed it, this was my favorite of Miss Brooke.  She is the biggest challenge to me.  The girl pushes every button I have, digs her heels in and will fight me to the bitter end on everything.

I threw this one in just because he's so stinking cute!  He's eating shells and cheese (according to the girls it's way better than just mac and cheese).  That funny little smirk makes me laugh because I know exactly where he gets it from.

There is our random update post with a few pictures for the grandparents and few blog stalkers that I have.  School starts this month and back to school shopping and all of the fun that goes with that is right around the corner!

Summer Party

Mike's work hosted a summer party for everyone and here are just a few pictures from it!

This year they had it at Boondocks and we enjoyed some free food, bumper boats, bounce houses, video games, the XD theater, and being together as a family.  (Even if Brooke was far too cranky!)

Bumper Boats started out ok.  Brooke didn't like it very quickly and screamed through the entire ride.  Then she screamed to go back on them.  She's such a funny little girl and never happy for very long. 

Eryn went on the boats 3 times!  Once with a friend's wife, then with me, and last with Mike.  If should could have gone again she would have!

There are a lot of games inside the arcade and mini golf there too.  The favorite was the XD Theater though. It is one of those 3D rides where you sit in a chair that moves and shakes and watch a movie screen that looks like a roller coaster.  It was really fun and Eryn was just tall enough to go on it!

The kids used their tickets for different prizes and Ian managed to get these little snakes.  He was spitting and making them fight.  It was hilarious!  It's amazing how different he is than his sisters and I wouldn't have it any other way!  

Between all of the rides and tokens that we used we had a blast and decided that we definitely got the company's money worth!  It was crazy how much it would have cost us to do all of these things on our own. It is really nice to be treated to something like this.

4th of July

After all of our other vacation this year, we opted out of going to the beloved Idaho Falls fireworks this year and instead went up to Tammy & Jeremy's house and enjoyed the fireworks and a BBQ with them and most of the McKay Family.  On our way up there the night before I was amazed with all of the smoke from the wildfires in the area.  While I was trying to take a picture of it this guy in a truck just wouldn't get out of my shot!  It was driving me crazy!!!!!  Then, I realized it was Chance and Sarah!

The Alpine Fire's smoke with the Draper Temple.

Ian standing up begging to get out of the play pen.

Waiting for the parade to start the girls found a puppy to play with.  (I made these tutus to take to Idaho Falls last year, but forgot them.  Up there everyone is decked out in red, white and blue stuff and dressing like this is common place.  Here, it was a little over the top, but I had lots of compliments on how cute they were!)

All of us lined up on the street.  Tammy picked a spot right at the beginning of the parade which was really smart so we could get out of there quickly!

Ian being patriotic with his little flag!

Brooke all sweaty and pouting.  She doesn't take the heat well and was cranky ALL day!

1st 4th of July with Andrew back.

It was super sunny and I was like, "Hey Grandma look into the sun and burn your corneas for a picture!"

Grandpa wore a hat, so you can almost see his eyes!

Brooke trying to get high fives from the boys.

Ready for the parade to begin!

Ian kept trying to hide from the sun.  He was covered in sun screen, but he should have had a hat.  Unfortunately his head was too big for the hats I had and I couldn't find a replacement in time.  Oops.

Grandpa up there helping keep the kids safe while they scrambled for candy.

Eryn really likes cheerleaders!

Brooke was a little freaked out by the horses!

No parade is complete without a few Disney Princesses!

My daughter the ham.

Eryn being sure that I'm taking a picture and "Belle" even closing her eyes to stay in character as the Princess she was.  I wish I knew this girl because it was probably the best picture of her from the parade.

There were a couple of classic cars, but NO Corvettes!  That's just NOT American to have a parade without a Corvette.

One of these cool off road vehicles died and had to be towed out.  It was super funny and thankfully at the end of the parade so it didn't really hold up too much.

This is probably the ONLY smile out of Brooke this day.  She LOVES swinging on the swings, it just drives the rest of us crazy.  You either don't push her high enough or you push too high and she screams.  It's insane.

Our nephew enjoying a Popsicle!  All of the month of July can be summed up in this picture.  The happiness of summer and enjoying being a kid!