Bubbles!!!

What's the summer without some bubbles?

No girls allowed!

Okay fine, you can come in!

Fully clothed, bathing suit or in a diaper, B loves to play in water!

Running through the sprinkler

I'm a pro-walker!

Shoot - maybe not

This is what happens when...

This is what happens every Thursday when the kind Italian produce guy at the market thinks you and your friends Macie & Carden are so cute that he gives you all the free cherries and strawberries you can shove in your mouth.

And this is what happens when your grandma sends you a pretty pink dress for Easter, but your mommy puts it in the front pocket of the suitcase when you move from your hotel room to your new house and doesn't find it again until she's unpacking from the beach trip you just took Memorial Day weekend. Oops. Sorry Grandma Nelson!

Testers Needed

Alright, so I made this bread about a year ago thinking it would be awesome! I'm not a grapefruit lover, but Tom likes it, so I figured he'd like it too. Well, I made it and was disappointed. BUT, maybe some of you more creative chefs can come up with a way to make this a yummy treat for everyone! Maybe I didn't like it because I don't love grapefruit, or maybe the peel was extremely blah cause the fruit wasn't in season and totally ripe - I dunno. Either way, if you try it and love, or hate it, let me know! I'd love to hear your results!

GRAPEFRUIT BEAKFAST BREAD

Ingredients:

1 stick butter or margarine

¾ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ cup milk

2 Tbs grated grapefruit peel

1/3 cup grapefruit juice, divided

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 325˚. Grease loaf pan. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until well combined. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Combine flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add flour mixture to bowl alternately with milk. Stir in grated grapefruit peel and 4 tablespoons juice. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine remaining grapefruit juice with confectioners’ sugar. Remove bread from pan. Poke holes in bread with a fork. Pour glaze over bread.

Caorle Beach

Over the weekend we went to Caorle Beach - about an hour from our house. We had an awesome time! Brighton wasn't a fan of the beach last year when we went to San Diego, but she loved it this time around. If she wasn't eating or sleeping, she was playing in the sea or the pool.

Of the millions of shells, she picks up the one rock and wants to keep it.

This was our elevator in the hotel - love the lime green carpet walls and bright blue floor and ceiling!

Tom had to hide Eva's drink cause B kept looking at the cup instead of the camera.

Babs, Rich & Jeremy
How many pilots does it take to fly a kite?

Apparently 4! (You can't see #4)

B's first swimming lesson

The pool had some turf around the outside which made it a lot less slippery - someone was thinking!

Our wonderful commander's wife, Karin, arranged for sitters for Saturday night so that all the parents could enjoy a carefree beach party dinner.

Corby, Corby's mom Karin, Shelly & Me

Mother's Day

Tom got Brighton out of bed and Brighton brought me my Mother's Day present. I lost my watch a few months ago (personally, I think a little girl put it in the trash in Phoenix). So, this year I got a new watch - love it!

Easter

Although this was technically B's second easter, it was the first one where she could do all the fun stuff. We were still in the TLF, so we didn't do any of the egg dyeing, but she had a great time hunting for eggs and opening them to find what was inside.

April

April was really busy with finding a house, moving into the house, getting adjusted and so forth. B loves our big yard and goes out there, just wandering around. She likes wearing Tom's security badge and key around her neck which has made for some fun early mornings trying to find said key & badge.

Here she is trying to turn the tv off - even though she loves watching Baby Einstein. Grandma Kennedy sent Brighton some Easter magnets for Easter which Brighton liked putting on and immediately pulling off the fridge. I loved it too - it kept her busy in the TLF!

One of my first socials with the Buzzards was the Wife Naming. It was tons of fun and a HUGE eye-opener into just how crazy these chicks are! I think I'm going to love the next few years... Brighton was SO HAPPY to finally have all her toys back. We were only able to pack a few books, a baby and a couple balls, so when her kitchen toys were unpacked - she was overjoyed!

Slow Cooker Meals

PLEASE send me your favorite crock-pot/slow cooker meals. As much as I love ribs & beans and chicken tetrazzini, they're really getting old. Thanks in advance!

March 09

March was an extremely busy month for us. Before we left for Italy we drove up to Utah and went to a Jazz game, BYU game, and bowling. Tom hates bowling yet somehow managed to win - sometimes it drives me crazy that he's good at everything!

I also got to see some of my closest friends - Shaina & Becca! Shauna and I also took a trip to see Rinda down in Lehi.

We flew from Salt Lake to Baltimore on Sunday and stayed the night in a hotel. My parents and grandparents were able to meet us there and so we got to spend a little more time with them. Brighton showed her Grandpa just how much she loves taking pens out of pockets.

February 09

Before we left Arizona we went up to Ft Tuthill with the squadron. It actually SNOWED!! We didn't have any snowclothes for Brighton, so we just bundled her up in her pjs and coat. She was a little weirded out by it at first, but she had fun.

B with Aunt Lisa

my cousin Dillon at his swim meet

With Great Grandpa Kennedy watching the Steelers game

Peas

Josh - take note: this is how you get rid of peas!

I just like this one

Sliding

I'm so good, I can slide with a cup in my hand.

Thank you Grandpa

We love popcorn