Spokane County Fair...

We were able to go to the Spokane County Fair this year with Grandpa Jim, Aunt Amanda, Uncle Bob and the mob of boys. I sometimes wonder what people are thinking when they see Amanda and I out with our huge mob of boys. We had a good time at the fair. Right as we walked into the fair Ziggy Ziggler was at the tractor pull and rounded our boys up to compete in the tractor pull. They all loved it of course. It was so funny because they only competed with one other person so we sat in the bleachers waiting for them to call each boy down. As they called Mase down they asked him where he was from and he says, "Arizona." The announcer went on about having someone all the way from Arizona and Amanda and I couldn't help but laugh. He is so funny. He told me long ago that when Jesus puts Daddy's bones back in and he comes back to life we are going to move back to AZ. I guess you never know. Maybe he knows more then I do. I would be happy to go just about anywhere if Trevor was able to come back to us. We sure miss having him around. His joy for life was so contagious.After the tractor pull we walked around and checked out all the animals. Carson, Robby and Bowen.My cute little Brodster boy....I think he looks more and more like Trevor all the time!!!! It makes me so happy to see Trevor in the boys. It helps keep his memory fresh in my mind. Not to mention who wouldn't want to see his cute face???Cute. Fun. Bo....Porter and his fair buddy, Ty...There's that crazy Ty face...Garrett and Easton...Mase and Porter trying on Grandpa Jim's sun-glasses.Garrett was so happy to walk around with his Grandpa... he was Garrett's fair buddy.The boys checking out all the rides trying to decide which ride they wanted to try out...These cute faces....couldn't delete any of them.Brody was the last one left on the bench, he was so engrossed in watching the crazy rides...Carson chose the Ring of Fire and talked his Dad into going with him. It was so hilarious watching him on the ride. His face looked like he couldn't have been more miserable. He got off and told Amanda that he kept his eyes closed the whole time. Amanda said, oh you didn't like it??? and he said, "NO, I LOVED IT!!!!" Funny kids. I know I was the same way when I was younger. But really what is so enjoyable about scaring yourself to death??? If you have to have your eyes closed the whole time with a look of terror on your face until it's over then I think when you stop you think you liked it but in reality it is the overwhelming rush of happiness that you made it through alive and you confuse that feeling with loving the ride. I don't know???Garrett and Porter chose to try out this ride along with Robby and Ty. Garrett is not quite a fan of the rides, he gets too nervous. Porter loves the rides. I am not sure where Garrett gets his nerves from because I LOVED rides as a little kid and loved the roller coasters upside down and everything crazy. I am pretty sure Trev was the same. However we did go to Six Flags on our honeymoon adventure and we went on two rides and Trev could hardly hack it. He was ready to go. He was a little nervous, but he had just fallen off a roof and broken both his feet not too long before we were married. But I know he was a dare devil growing up. And he did go on some pretty crazy roller coasters at Sea World a couple of years ago. As for me now I am quite the wimp about them. I hardly have the stomach to just go swing on a regular swing. Easton talked me in to trying out this ride with him. I thought sure, no big deal. It was so fast and quite brutal. I could hardly walk straight when it was over. The next morning I had a huge lump and bruise on my back where my clasp to my bra sits from it throwing me into the rock hard seat. Who knew I was getting to be such and OLD LADY???? :( Easton loved it though.......besides the lump on his head from it throwing his head into the bar. You have to be stiff as a board and totally under control to ride that ride or you could have some serious injuries.Yeah, we survived the ride..... but who the heck can't keep their hand out from in front of the camera....MASON.Much better......Me and my ride buddy E and Mr. Joe Cool.Mason and Bo loved the swings...Then I took Brody on a little spinning Bear ride. He was not happy about me making him go on this ride...Not EVEN when Mase and Bowen decided to join us........ He was TICKED. I am such a mean Mom. But oh how he loved it once we got going.......Look at that smile!! :)

We also enjoyed some yummy kettle corn and elephant ears compliments of Grandpa Jim. Thank you everyone for helping us have such a good time at the fair. And I can't forget some fun times watching the mutton busting, there was quite a few kids that didn't think it was all they said it was cracked up to be. Brave little kiddos if you ask me. I would have never agreed to do something like that.

Preschool, First and Second Graders...

Garrett was so excited to start school but a little nervous about having a new teacher by the time he got home he was in LOVE with his new teacher. Aunt Amber asked Garrett today how he was liking one of her all time favorite teachers Mrs. Barnes. He replied, "She is AMAZING!!" It is such a blessing to me and I know the boys as well that they have such loving and great teachers. Porter loves Mrs. Nemri like Garrett and I already knew he would, and Garrett has been so excited that he is able to go and say hi to Mrs. Nemri on occasion. When I was quizzing the boys on their first day of school and getting the scoop on how it went. Porter says to me, "I feel like I have gone to 1ST grade life for 100 days already!!" I said, "You do??? Why?" He says to me, " Cause I wasn't EVEN nervous." And he wasn't; not even when he was getting ready to leave. He was bouncing off the walls and being such a goof ball as you can see from the pictures. It still comes as quite a shock to me since he was one of the shyest little people I know. Mason is still loving his wonderful teachers; Teacher Barbara and Teacher Kimbo. He loves having not just one of his favorite cousins but TWO of his favorite cousins, Drew and Bowen at school with him. So far I hear from his teachers that they are doing great and are all the best of buddies. We are so blessed to live by so many great cousins!!! As for Brody home all on his own. He is doing awesome. He is happy as a clam to play on his own and has quite the imagination. He plays and plays and talks the whole time like the boys are right there playing with him. I love that we are able to have this one on one time together. I love these cute little boys so much!!

Lost Memories Found...

Uncle Bob put some pictures of the summer fun from his camera on a thumb drive for me so I could put them on my computer and update my blog. It was such a sweet surprise to come upon these pictures. You might be wondering, Why??? Not particularly the best pictures of me for sure since a am ready to bust with Brody due at any moment. But it was sweet memories with Trev that I had not thought about and it was like finding a lost memory I may have not other wise remembered. I love to hear stories of Trev no matter how big or small especially ones I haven't heard before because they help keep his memory alive and it is always fun to learn something new of my best friend. He is so cute!! I miss our little family more everyday!!

This was a family reunion the summer Brody was born. We always love to go spend a day at River Front Park. Trev loved to get snow cones with the kids...Of course the goat has always been a huge hit...Visiting outside our house off of Conklin while the kids are playing in the blow-up water slide Trevor couldn't live with out. :)

The Bouncy Place...

Brody is such a blessing to me in so many ways. I think there is something about your last baby that holds a little extra tight on those heart strings. I absolutely love and consider that he looks so much like his Dad a huge blessing to me. He has a smile that just melts my heart and a laugh that makes me so happy. His eyes remind me the most of Trev. He makes so many different faces that are similar looks of Trevor. I love that as the kids are all in school that he is my little buddy and he is so content with it. One of the greatest blessings that Brody has given me is the story at, "The Bouncy Place". This summer one of the events that Trevor's family put together for us all to enjoy was an hour of jumping at Sky High. Brody did not want anything to do with jumping with everyone. He cried and whined. I tried jumping with him. NO WAY! He wasn't going to have that. I held him and tried to jump. NO WAY! On a side note, that is against the rules. He was pretty much just miserable to be around. He was hanging on me crying wanting me to hold him until I picked him up then he would cry and fight his way down. I was ready to throw in the towel. Then the guy there was lining everyone up to play a game of dodge ball and all of a sudden like someone had just flipped a switch in his head he says to me, "I want to play." And then he takes off running on to the trampoline and jumped and bounced happy as could be until our hour was up. I was amazed and relieved and thought what a nut-job he was but then had fun jumping the rest of the time my self. A couple of days later I was getting Brody ready for bed and he was telling me that his Dad had given him a lego toy. I said to him, "No, that was from Uncle Joel." Then I asked him where his Dad was because since the time we told him what had happened to his Dad he would always say his Dad was with Jesus. He says to me, "Him is at the bouncy place." I said, "what???" He responded the same, "Him is at the bouncy place." I said, "He is???? Did you see him there???" He says, "Yes, him was watching us." It just melted my heart and made me so happy. A while later I was taking a remembrance book of Trevor out that has a picture of Trevor on it and he pipes up the second he saw it and says, "That's my Dad. Him is at the bouncy place." We have since had a few conversations about him seeing his Dad at the bouncy place. Every time it is the exact same story and in one conversation he says to me, "Him saw you." I just wanted to hear more, I could have talked to him about it all day. He said that he was smiling and that he loves all of us. There are not words to describe the huge blessing that story is to me. I truly believe that Trevor was there watching us and that is why he went from being miserable to the happiest kid alive. What a sweet experience. The only problem now is that he thinks that his Dad is always at the bouncy place and that he is no longer with Jesus. He still to this day when his Dad is brought up will say, "Him is at the bouncy place." I just love this little boy. I had to post some of my all time favorite pictures of this guy. Trev and I could look at his cute little face all day long. He just cracked us up...

Trevor's Dad always says he wishes Brody could stay this way forever and be our little mascot. He can be quite the stinker but he is one DANG CUTE KID and such a blessing to all of us!! Love you Brody James Stephenson. :)