Amazing Nie Nie

I don't know if you have heard about a special family, especially their mother, Nie Nie, as they call her. You'll noticed I have a button on my blog that says, "Nie Recovery", click on in and you'll see why this family is so special. I happened to run over this article and was not prepared to read such a sweet but sorrowful story. I just bawled as I read this story and am in awe of the love this family has received from many and for the love the immediate family has shown.  I pray for Nie Nie and her husband Christian... Nie Nie your blogs inspire me to be a better person... the way you show your love for your children and make everything in their life seem like a big deal when it should be, the way you love your husband and keep it romantic, the way you bask in life, the way you love life.... 

Nie Nie has a long road to recovery and it's so comforting to know she has a wonderful family both in laws and her own to help her every step of the way.  God bless you Nie Nie and Christian.

Family Pictures!

We finally got our yearly family photos taken! Brooklyn is growing so fast I can't believe it! As you can tell, she has much more hair than last year. My hair is brown and not so BLEACH blonde! Matt's hair is pretty much the same, aaahhsss.... I love his hair just the way it is! 

Halloween Festival

The other day I found out about a Halloween Festival and I thought it would be fun for Matt and I to take Brooklyn. It was put on by the Young Living Farm in Mona which is about 45 minutes south of Saratoga Springs. The drive down was just beautiful and Matt was drooling over all the open land. Matt is a cowboy at heart and he would love to own some land so that his house is the only one around. Maybe his dreams will come true one day? (wink wink)

Going to the festival turned out to be a HIT, especially for Brooklyn. The cost was FREE for adults and children 2 and under. They had all sorts of fun things for kids to enjoy and again it was all free. The only thing we paid for was $3.00 for  3 bags of smores we were able to cook over a huge pit of fire with a band playing in the background. The smores were heaven with thick pieces of chocolate!  Below are some pictures of the fun filled night. Matt and I have decided we want to make this yearly tradition since we enjoy traveling together.  Come join us next year!

Brooklyn fishing for a prize! She won a sucker, her favorite kind of candy!

Hanging with the scarecrow, she sure doesn't look scared!

Brooklyn's favorite thing to do is JUMP, JUMP, JUMP! She spend a good 15 minutes inside the blow-up trampoline. The second she got inside she was like the engergizer bunny jumping and jumping and jumping. She kept trying to catch her breath as she interacted gleefully with us through the net... I, (gasp), am (gasp), having (gasp), FUN! 

Getting her face painted! This is a first for Brooklyn and she threw a fit when we washed it off before she went to bed. We were able to calm her down by telling her we would do it again sometime soon... We better keep our word or will she forget? She chose a bluish color for a spider web and sat so still as a tight drum! 

Now what does Mr. "Sheriff" Bailey think he is doing? You're supposed to clean up this town, not make a mess of it by drinking ROOTBEER!

Sheriff Bailey's sweet wife standing inside her store, trying to keep a bird's eye watch on her ROOTBEER drunk husband!

Brooklyn's first pony ride and she absolutely enjoyed it (though the picture doesn't seem to show much enthusiasm)! The pony's name is Sobe and he was quite the stubborn one. He had to be dragged and pulled by one of the volunteers. 

We had a grand ole time together and stopped off a Chinese place for some yummy food! Brooklyn love the miso and egg drop soup that she took the small bowl and cupped it in her sweet small hands and drank it! She's becoming a true Bailey like her parents, eating all sorts of foreign foods.

Canning!

I wanted to share with you my first experience with canning! Well... My the first time canning as a Mom! I can vaguely remember my mom canning some applesauce when I was younger. I think that was the last time I was near any canning other than the Church Cannery.  I was able to can peaches, freeze peaches, can salsa and pears as well! They all taste so yummy! I wasn't so sure about the salsa but boy it was delicious! Add some cottage cheese and scoop some chips in it and there ya go! My brother Cody and Matt ate a whole jar themselves! 

I was happy to increase our food storage as I have been feeling guilty not having a "good supply" of food storage. I just get so overwhelmed so I never know where to start and then I just give up.... I do however have lots of cake mix and store bought peaches which make great homemade dutch oven peach cobbler! A friend of mine pointed out to me that those were great food storage items and I just didn't think of it that way but now I see that it can be! I just figure that I will be the peach cobbler lady if ever we all have to live on storage food. I am happy to share so in times of stress and you don't have food, come on over and I will make us some yummy peach cobbler! And now that I have my own canned peaches they will taste even better. I so look forward to next year for more canning! I can't wait!

I am honored that I am Esme! She is beautiful!

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

Will our next baby look like her/him?

So if we were to have another baby girl or boy, Routan Baby Maker says chances are he/she would like this. Cute baby isn't it?  I am not sure where I see the resemblance.... Do you?

Check out the web site: http://www.vw.com/vwhype/babymaker/en/us/

If she were a girl, her name would be Taylor (something) Bailey. If he were a boy, he would be named, Mason (something) Bailey.  And to answer your question, no I am not pregnant... :)

Our 4th Wedding Anniversary!

Our 4th Wedding Anniversary was on Oct. 1st. Matt and I can't believe how fast our four years together has gone by. It makes us appreciate more the time we have together as a married couple because it's true when they say life flies by quickly as you get older.  Matt and I always talk about how we ARE going to grow old together and die together. Matt teases me that when we are really old and he has lost his hearing too, we will sit and repeat things to each other, "Honey, honey, what honey! I can't hear you! Can you speak a little louder? Honey....." 

Ha ha ha

I am excited to grow old and grey with you Matt! We have many fun years to look forward too!

For our anniversary, my parents gave us a gift card to the La Caille restaurant. They had gotten the gift card from someone but never got around to using it. We really appreciate them for giving it to us as we had such an enjoyable night. Neither one of us had been to the La Caille but had always wanted to try it. It's nothing that I had ever imagined it would be. Sooooo beautiful and enchanting! If you know me well enough I always talk about how I would love to live in Thomas Kincade's paintings. His paintings portray such comfort, security, peace and so enchanting. I always dream of living in a place he has created. Never did I think there was a place in Utah that could look so close to the painting! Matt and I were in awe as we drove up the long driveway with ponds on either side, lamp lights, flowers, birds and trees. We drove in a hummer that we have been "babysitting" for the past two months for a friend of ours and that made it more fun. We took some pictures for those who have not been there and encourage you to at least visit the place. 

The La Caille Restaurant in its beauty. We enjoyed a delicious meal and dream of going back for more! It just so happened that night they had some kind of charity and there was a firework show. It was so beautiful watching the fireworks among the trees and in the warm night. We saw goats walking around and even saw Frank Layden! Matt saw a table full of huge shrimp (for the charity people) and he wanted so badly to eat some so we ordered some for him as an appetizer. 

The pictures look beautiful but to see it with the naked eye is even better! Look at all the lights and the flowers. I love the cottage for the restaurant. It has such a castle feel to it without it being huge. 

Beautiful big white swans roamed the pond.

This hot guy just sat across from me at the table the whole night and I was thinking to myself, Man, what a hot guy! I am so lucky to have him! Look at him, he is such a sweet thang!

One of the few bridges at La Caille... We wanted to take a picture together but didn't find anyone close to ask so thats why we are in two separate pictures. 

He sure is one handsome husband!

Me on the bridge!

After a wonderful dinner, we headed over to Thanksgiving point and stayed at the nice hotel near there. We stopped at JCW's first and shared a yummy oreo shake! We had such a great time together and still even talk about what a fun date it was for the both of us. We are excited to celebrate many more anniversaries together! I love you Matt!