Beach Bums

On Saturday last weekend we drove out to Cannon Beach to have a little fun in that sand and surf.

We really started the day off at our Stake Pioneer Day festival put on by our church, it was actually a pretty awesome fair. I have never been to something like that put on by the Stake! It was great!

They had sno-cones (in Ty's case it was just the sno, no syrup. He likes the ice why add all the extra sugar, stickiness and inevitable stains!), someone making balloon animals and hats, a BBQ, a dunk tank, hand cart races, kickball, whiffle ball, volleyball, a mini petting zoo, Elephant ears, drawings, booths... it was great! Of course these are the only pictures I got. I'll let Matt post the videos later.

Matt fixed both our burgers since I was trying to wrangle up the crazy two year old and keep Maylee happy in the stroller. 

AFTER THAT is when we headed to the beach. It should have been an hour and a half drive out but some unusual traffic turned it into a two hour drive, Ty slept most of the way so it was good he got a nap in. 

The second we got there Ty kept yelling, "WATER! WATER!" it was super windy and somewhat cold but he did not care. He chased those seagulls around the beach for a few hours. 

Matt was always close behind though, the water was surprisingly warm. Not really warm, but warmer then we thought it would be. Check out that cool rock in the background!

 Yes, my sunburn was from the day previous when I fell asleep for an hour after reading outside. I had no idea I could even get burned up in these parts but boy can I! It's peeling something awful now, eww. Other then my awful burn lines I thought this was a good picture of Matt and I :) 

Maylee cried in the stroller the entire time we played, she HATED it... 

We got her to smile a little bit at the end when the winds died down. 

We left after a couple hours of hanging out to get back and finish a few chores before Sunday.

 When we got home we stripped down the kids for bath time...

TY decided to take his in his sandbox turtle... yeah he got a real bath later but our boy sure does love the water! He kept asking me to put Maylee in with him. Yeah not going to happen for at least another year Ty :) 

It was a busy but good family day in the sun! 

Self Worth

I heard this anecdotal story read on the radio this morning:


"In a brief conversation, a man asked a woman he was pursuing the question:

'What kind of man are you looking for?'

She sat quietly for a moment before looking him in the eye and asking, 'Do you really want to know?'

Reluctantly, he said, 'Yes.'

She began to expound, 'As a woman in this day and age, I am in a position to ask a man what can you do for me that I can't do for myself? I pay my own bills. I take care of my household without the help of any man... or woman for that matter.

I am in the position to ask, 'What can you bring to the table?'

The man looked at her. Clearly he thought that she was referring to money.

She quickly corrected his thought and stated, 'I am not referring to money. I need something more. I need a man who is striving for excellence in every aspect of life.'

He sat back in his chair, folded his arms, & asked her to explain.

She said, 'I need someone who is striving for excellence mentally because I need conversation & mental stimulation. I don't need a simple-minded man.

I need someone who is striving for excellence spiritually because I don't need to be unequally yoked...believers mixed with unbelievers is a recipe for disaster.

I need a man who is striving for excellence financially because I don't need a financial burden.

I need someone who is sensitive enough to understand what I go through as a woman, but strong enough to keep me grounded.

I need someone who has integrity in dealing with relationships. Lies and game-playing are not my idea of a strong man.

I need a man who is family-oriented. One who can be the leader, priest and provider to the lives entrusted to him by God.

I need someone whom I can respect... In order to be submissive, I must respect him.

I cannot be submissive to a man who isn't taking care of his business. I have no problem being submissive...he just has to be worthy.

And by the way, I am not looking for him...He will find me. He will recognize himself in me. He may not be able to explain the connection, but he will always be drawn to me.

God made woman to be a help-mate for man. I can't help a man if he can't help himself.'

When she finished her spill, she looked at him.

He sat there with a puzzled look on his face. He said, 'You are asking a lot.'

She replied, "I'm worth a lot".

I literally thank my Father in Heaven DAILY that my husband picked me and that he exhibits all the traits mentioned above.  

TMT: My eternal calling

I just want to say this week how much I love my job, my career, my eternal calling...

Being a wife and mother. Matt makes it possible for me to be able to choose this for myself and I am SO thankful for it.

Matt and I worked out a plan a little while ago for when I can squeeze in my cardio exercising time. He gets home from work and I leave for a run or a long ride then come home and prepare dinner. At that point he takes off for his run. While dinner is cooking, I finish the rest of my work out then dinner is served at 6:30. The reason I can't go during the day is I don't have a double stroller. But it's okay I don't mind it, I like my little 30 minute break when I get to focus on me.

ANYWAY it was funny though last week Matt said "How come when I leave to go running the kids are fine but the second YOU leave they cry and cry...." My response? "They are used to you coming and going, they aren't used to that with me." I know that stage with my children will end sooner then I want it to, during those darn teenage years, they wont cry when I leave. So I better soak it up now. My S.I.L. Kelly has a quote on her blog,

"Many things we need can wait. The child cannot. Now is the time his bones are formed, his mind developed. To him we cannot say tomorrow, his name is today."

— Gabriela Mistral

It grounds me every time I read it. I realize as a wife and mother I have so much to do but having a spotless, organized home versus having a happy, well loved husband, toddler and baby shouldn't be a comparison. They cannot wait so I shouldn't make them.  

Since you asked...

A side by side comparison.... Ty and Maylee at 4 months. 

4 Months!

Maylee is now 4 months as of yesterday. She has kicked it into gear and now seems to be growing like a weed. Again I am so thankful for my cousins and my sister for all the hand me down clothes, I LOVE digging into the boxes to find the cutest outfits for her. 

She still sleeps like a champ and loves to suck on her hands. She never did take a pacifier but seems to fall asleep just fine on her own, un-swaddled. She is getting really good at rolling around. When she is on her back she'll arch and twist until she can see what is going on. I don't think it will be long before she is rolling from back to front, maybe by next month. She smiles at her brother constantly and likes to hold his hand. She laughs for her Dad a ton, I have only gotten her to laugh for me a handful of times. She slobbers amazing amounts and has decided to be a little bit of a spitter. Not as much as Ty, but she still spits up a bit after every feeding. Her bald spot isn't as bad in the back as it was last month but it's still very noticable, hopefully by next month it looks better. Her head is also still flat in the back... hopefully it rounds out some more by next month as well. She can almost hold her bottle on her own. She is coming to the end of the "I don't know how to control my limbs" phase and can now reach for all her little dangling toys on her play mat and bouncy chair. She loves to sit and watch all of us while in the Bumbo. 

Here she is at four months, those cheeks are super chubby and solid... I kiss them all.day.long. 

Next month our health insurance kicks in. I'll make an appointment for May for her missed check ups and get some stats... I have no idea how much she weighs, how long she is etc etc. We'll see, she still seems small but who knows? 

A boy and his hat

Have you ever read the book, The Brave Little Cowboy by Joan Walsh Anglund?

image

It was a purchase that my parents gave to Ty. It's about a little boy that pretends he is a cowboy, rescuing people, rounding up the cattle, camping out in the west and rustling up the outlaws. It is the CUTEST book ever, Ty loves it and I swear he reenacts it every day. I think it's Cat in the Hat inspired, but Ty L.O.V.E.S. his cowboy hats. Especially a certain straw hat that my parents picked up for him while in San Antonio a few months ago.

Over the last few weeks I have been taking pictures of his various Cowboy get ups. 

Ridin' his faithful steed

Showing me his tricks

Readjusting his hat

Yes, he is wearing his chaps from Halloween last year, and No, he isn't wearing pants underneath. 

Learning more Hat tricks from Dad. Yes he says cowboy like "Cow-bee"

Watching his favorite netflix shows with his hat on

He hears something....

Yes, we have horses in the back pasture behind our house. He watches them all the time. He calls them cows, a cowboy has a cow, not a horse he thinks. I could see why he would be confused by that :)


Playing in the rain, in his pajamas, at 8 am with his hat on... plus a little bonus Maylee footage at the end. 

He even makes sure Maylee is wearing one of his hats usually. This day she was a firefighter. 

Watching a movie, he just finished eating some watermelon. 

AND today, Orange Friday (supporting the SF Giants), sporting Matt's super legit, straight from Texas, pretty dang expensive cowboy hat.

 I sure love my brave little cowboy, every day gets better and better and there is never a dull moment with him around. 

Miss May

Miss Maylee really is her own kind of baby... I can't figure out her sleeping schedule for the life of me. Also, one feeding she'll have 7 ounces the next she'll have 3, then only 3 again, then 5... ugh. She has been hard to figure out! I have been trying to get her naps to some specific times but really this lady sleeps when she wants to sleep.

For example, yesterday morning I fed her, then changed her diaper. she was WIDE awake. But in the time it took me to get up wash my hands and dispose of the diaper I came back and she was out. She slept there for about 3 hours...she just slept 10 hours, I guess she needed 3 more.

Ty kept shushing me since Maylee was asleep. He's eating a blueberry muffin for breakfast by the way. 

Funny girl, hopefully I can figure her out soon. I am not so fond of random nap times especially the older she gets. As most of you know, I like order, consistency, schedules, plans... I can't be productive with a random sleeping/eating baby girl! Ha ha

In other news we finally got her laugh.. well a little one, on camera. Matt can get her going pretty well usually but when I run to get the camera and the little red light turns on she stops and looks at me. So that is why I am so far away, so she doesn't notice the camera. Turn up your speakers a little bit and you'll hear it.

Special Edition Matt Post: Weekend Wedding Trip

In substitution of the usual TMT post, Matt shared his own insights from his weekend. 

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go visit family I have not seen in a long time.  My cousin Mandi was getting married in Iowa and because it has been so long since I have seen everyone there, I desperately wanted to make the trip.  With the help of my other cousins, Steve and Melissa and her mom, I was able to make it to Iowa.  I could go on and on of everyone who extended a helping hand to help me make it, but instead I will just share the extremely short edition of my unforgettable trip.

Nate, Me, Angie, Kendall, Steve, Ben and Carter at the Mexican restaurant during the rehearsal dinner.

I flew standby and even with the planes being full with 8-10 standby passengers hoping to get on, I was blessed to get on the plane, every time.  When I finally made it to Iowa, I was able to see my cousins, aunts and uncles.  Let me just say, I have some of the best friends in cousins, aunts and uncles.  I had sooooo much fun.  We ate, laughed, prayed, and danced together.  Killer party Uncle Kevin and Aunt Stormy!   

Mandi and Kane, the Bride and Groom

Mandi did get married and looked so beautiful.  The Father performing the ceremony gave some great advice.  One thing I took from the stories he shared, was in relation to the story of Jesus’ first recorded miracle.  It was the one at the party where he turned the water to wine.  It hit me that Jesus turns the water to wine because he loved his mother and wanted to make sure she was happy.  I saw little reason for it otherwise.  Countless times this past weekend I saw family give the very best they had, for the benefit of the family they love.  I think that is what makes a good family great, everyone giving the best they have to offer, for the benefit of the ones you truly love.  I believe the Father was giving sound and eternal advice to the bride and groom.

Mandi and Me

At the reception, I crawled out of my shell a bit and let loose.  But how can you not let loose when “House of Pain” is telling you to Jump Around, jump around, jump up, jump up and get down?  I can honestly say I did not waste a minute while in Iowa.  I had so much fun with my family.  While I loved seeing everyone equally, I have to give a special shout out to my cousin Ben, who I haven’t seen in over 10 years. I will never forget the night some random lady in an elevator offered us the key to stay in her un-used Presidential suite for the night.  Awesome!  Why not offer the key to the best room in the hotel to a few strangers who you will likely never see again?  No, we didn’t charge anything to the room, and we didn’t trash it.  I even put their furniture back the way it should be, for the Class of ’71 reunion group who left it to us.

Nate, Ben, Steve and Me

I was very tired at work today from the eventful weekend, and with this next story as proof, I obviously forgot to climb back into my shell before work.

I needed to drop some mail into the mail basket at work, before 2 pm.  It was now 1:58 pm.  The basket is only about 15 feet from where I sit, but instead of being professional and walking the mail to the basket, I decided to slow motion run to the basket while echoing the music from, Chariots of Fire (da da da  da daaa, da, chi chi chi,  da da da da dun).  You are all singing it now, huh?  With a dramatic finish, I barely beat the clock to 2 pm.  I was proud that everyone I passed knew exactly what I was doing.  I only wish a few more people felt like joining me for a slow motion run on the beach, at work.

I can say with a surety that this last weekend was more epic than “Chariots of Fire” ever could be, even if there was a sequel starring Shia LaBeouf. 

I felt like the second guy in the clip.  The third guy reminds me of Nate.

Editors Note: Photo's courtesy of the WONDERFUL Melissa , thanks for sharing!

Like Father Like Son

When Matt was younger he said he loved to make people laugh, especially his mom. He said he did goofy stuff to get a smile out of her. He of course is still the same always making me and our children laugh. He said the time this picture was taken he was pretty sure his mom peed her pants laughing...He was pretending to be an old beggar woman maybe? Haha I am not sure, but  boy does he looks silly. 

 I swear that Ty does the same thing with me. While we were at my parents house Ty wanted to put on Jason's goggles. I put them on his and he kept running over by me giving me funny looks. I was cracking up... When I got the camera he ran right over and said "CHHEEEEEEEEEEESE!!!" 

I am pretty sure these two are cut from the same cloth. Like Father Like Son, and I love it. 

Mini Golf and Shooting

Last weekend we went Mini Golfing at my old stomping grounds, the Rogue Valley Family Fun Center. It is always weird to go back there for some reason. I worked there on and off for 4 years or so and mostly everything is the same! In fact I doubt they have even changed the combination to the safe and I am pretty sure I still remember it... ANYWAY long story short, we had a wonderful time.

Yes! I am SUCH a good photographer I know. The shadow is just perfect on his face right? I did that on purpose. 

Jason can ALMOST play with the older folks... he's actually pretty good!

Ty...

Sierra and Ty...

My Dad won, then Colton came in second. I can't remember how Kristin, myself and my mother did... we didn't keep score with the kids. As you can tell by the videos, they played by their own rules :)

A few days later we went shooting, that is ALWAYS a fun time with the family... My brother Colton shot like a true sharp shooter, I don't know how many he missed, but it wasn't many. What surprised me was how good my brothers friends were, Bent and Chelsea... They came down from the Portland area because Coltons Best Friend Cooper got married and Bent was one of the best men along with Colton who was the BEST man.

Chelsea was particularly surprising considering Colton gave HER the single shot gun that has quite a bit more kick then the other two and she used it for QUITE A WHILE! 

Matt, Bent and Colton shooting. 

Then Chelsea went to throwing the clay pigeons and she was awesome. I gave it a try... 

Shooting and throwing is a waste of ammo and clay pigeons when I have anything to do with it. Spencer Schmidt (another younger adopted child in the Bragg home:), Matt and Colton were laying waste to the last few pigeons.

Who wouldn't feel safe with a man like THIS around the house huh? 

I'm not too shabby with a .22 however :) I think I should buy one for myself, I can unload the clips so fast and that ammo is pretty cheap. 

Matt shooting the .22.

Grandpa gave Ty a ride... 

After you shoot you pick up the broken targets you used to keep the range clean. 

Ty like a little boys, was just curious to see what was up and over the hill... GRASS! 

Then he wanted to run down the hill with Dad. 

What was Maylee doing? Hanging out in the car... windows down. She was asleep most of the time but woke back up when he hopped back in the car... Yeah not the most attractive of pictures haha look at those CHEEKS!!! She is getting big.